Changing Lives
by LoryLynn1186
Summary: Buffy’s not feeling well, Spike won’t go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever. FINISHED
1. Chapter 1

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
She awoke with the horrible churning in her stomach. 'Never should have eaten that pizza last night.' She rolled over and threw the blankets off her legs. She stood up, stretching and immediately bent over in pain. She could feel the bile rising in her throat. She took off running through the hall and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.  
  
Dawn stood in her doorway, and listened to the sounds of her sister in the bathroom.  
  
"Buffy, that's 3 days straight. Will you please just go to the doctor?" She asked loudly to make sure Buffy heard her.  
  
"I'm fine Dawnie." Dawn heard the faucet running and a moment later Buffy appeared in the doorway. "It's probably just the flu. I hear it's going around."  
  
"Yea, Janice is out sick with it." Dawn said. "But I still think you should go to the doctor. Maybe he could give you some good drugs." Dawn laughed.  
  
"I'm good. Now you should be getting ready for school. Go."  
  
Dawn turned on her heel and went back into her room, shutting the door quietly behind her. Buffy went back into her room and laid back down.  
  
She loved the way the cool satin sheets felt against her warm skin, the sunlight peeking through her closed blinds. She lay her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes. Thoughts of a certain blonde vampire filled her mind.  
  
She hated everything about him. The way he always wore all black, but looked so damn good in it; his cocky attitude; his piercing blue eyes; and that British accent. It sent shivers down her spine just thinking about him.  
  
She and Spike had been and "item", if that's what you could call it, for almost a full month now. Their relationship consisted of him accompanying her on patrols. Of course when they were together, little ever got done. Most nights they ended up making out in the cemetery.  
  
Buffy was pulled from her thoughts by the sounds of a hand knocking on her door. "What?" she called.  
  
Dawn opened the door and peered inside. "Hey I'm gonna head to Janice's today after school. She asked me to bring her the homework and stuff."  
  
"Okay. Well I'll be working till 8 tonight. So feel free to make yourself some dinner."  
  
"Okay." Dawn said stepping back into the hall. "Have a good day." She called in before shutting the door once again.  
  
Buffy waited for the sound of the front door opening and then shutting before she let herself drift off to sleep. She had a good 3 hours before she had to be up for work, and she intended to get some sleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
Buffy's alarm clock pulled her out of her deep sleep. She threw her arm over and hit the object with full Slayer strength. The small clock broke into pieces, springs, and batteries flying.  
  
"Guess I gotta get another one of those." She grumbled as she pulled herself from bed. She picked up her watch and checked out the time. '10:35. Gotta get up."  
  
Buffy had recently landed a job at a local lawyer's office as a secretary. It took her about fifteen minutes to get there, and an hour to get ready. It paid well enough. It took care of the bills and put food on the table for her and Dawn. And she only had to work five days a week. She started late today because her boss had an early trial and wouldn't be at the office until after lunch.  
  
Buffy chose her outfit carefully. She wanted to look professional, but at the same time young and hip. She decided on a knee length black skirt and a beige sweater. It was only November, but southern California had gotten quite cold. She pulled her hair into a tight ponytail and applied a light coat of make-up.  
  
She glanced down at her watch and grimaced at the time. "I'm gonna be late. She hurriedly slipped on a par of heels and took off down the steps. Grabbing her house keys at the bottom, she threw on her coat. She took a mental note making sure she hadn't missed anything, locked the door and was out.  
  
  
  
Dawn trudged through school like every other day. After classes she took off over to Janice's to bring her her books. She was there for almost two hours before she could escape the never stopping mouth of Janice.  
  
The cold autumn breeze whipped around, and Dawn pulled her coat tighter. 'Knew I should have worn a heavier jacket.' Dawn thought as she walked down her street against the wind. Her hair flew out around her, and Dawn began walking a little faster to get out of the cold.  
  
She bounded up her porch steps and dug her key out of her pocket. Sliding it into the hole, she pushed the door open and jumped inside. She shut the door again and proceeded to take off her coat and shoes.  
  
She made her way to the living room and pushed the blinking red light on the answering machine.  
  
"Message one: Buffy, it's Giles. I just called to check up on you and Dawn. I should be able to get a flight sometime next week. Uh.give me a call back when you get this.you have the number. Goodbye.  
  
Message two: Dawnie? Hey I'm gonna be home early around 6. Figured I'd stop for Chinese.or maybe pizza. Your choice, call me back. Bye.  
  
Dawn listened to each message smiling at the thought of Chinese food instead of her or her sister's horrible cooking. She picked up the cordless phone and dialed Buffy's work number.  
  
"Simon and McGregor Legal Office. Buffy speaking."  
  
"It's me." Dawn said picking up her book bags and heading up the steps as she talked.  
  
"Hey Dawnie. I should be done here in about an hour or so. What do you want?" Buffy asked in a cheerful voice.  
  
"How about pizza? Pepperoni sound good?"  
  
"Whatever. It's your choice tonight." Dawn could hear the gentle clicking of the keyboard over the line. "So I'll pick up a medium, pepperoni pizza?"  
  
"Why don't you make it a large." Dawn suggested.  
  
"Do you really think the two of us can finish a large pizza?" Buffy asked. "I mean I know you can eat Dawn but still."  
  
"Actually I was gonna call Spike up and see if he wanted to come over for a little movie night."  
  
"Ugh that's just what I need. A night with my kid sister and the tag along vampire." Buffy mumbled. She acted as though the evening sounded like a complete horror, but deep in her mind she was looking forward to it.  
  
"Oh come on Buff, it'll be fun." Dawn giggled. "You know life is always interesting when Spike is around."  
  
"Oh yea, that's a little bit of an understatement." Buffy laughed. "Listen Dawn I've still got a little more work to do, but I should be home in an hour."  
  
"Okay. I'll call Spike, he can pick up some movies." Dawn said. "Bye."  
  
"Bye Dawnie."  
  
Dawn clicked the talk button on the phone and proceeded to call Spike's cell.  
  
  
  
Spike was laying in his crypt staring blankly at the ceiling. His mind wandered to thoughts of Buffy and their on again, off again relationship. He couldn't figure out what she was thinking sometimes. Some days she only wanted to be in his arms, curling up on a patch of grass in the cemetery during one of their patrols. And other days she wanted nothing to do with him.  
  
Suddenly a shrill ringing erupted from the other side of the crypt making Spike jump.  
  
"Bloody hell." He cursed jumping off the cement sarcophagus that served as his bed. "Soddin telephone." He picked up the small object and pressed one of the tiny buttons. "Yeah." He asked rudely.  
  
"Spike?" the voice asked.  
  
"Niblet, what do you want?" Spike asked slumping down in his chair. The dust flew out around him as the weight of his body impacted the fabric.  
  
"Geez, nice to talk to you Spike." Dawn said sarcastically. "I was just wondering if you wanted to come over for a movie night."  
  
"I don't know Bit. I'm really in the mood for some violence."  
  
"Oh come on. Buffy's gonna bring home pizza and you can get the movies. It'll be fun." Dawn was close to begging.  
  
"Niblet, you know I'd love to but I gotta patrol tonight. With Big Sis working and all."  
  
"Please Spike! Please, please, please, please!" Dawn begged.  
  
"Fine, okay." Spike complied.  
  
"Good. You can get the movies. Don't go getting all scary movies either like last time. Don't think I could take another Fright Night." Dawn laughed at the memory of their last movie night.  
  
"Yea, yea, alright. I'll pick up some chick flicks for you and the Slayer. But don't think we're going to be watching some weepy love stories." Spike walked as he talked picking up his duster from the chair and slipping it over his shoulders. "I'll see you in bit Niblet." He hung up the phone without even waiting for Dawn to say goodbye. "Another lust filled evening with the Slayer. Sounds like fun." His duster billowed out around him as he opened the crypt door and exited leaving the door to shut with a loud slam that echoed throughout the empty crypt. 


	3. Chapter 3

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
** Author's Notes: Had to up the rating cuz I was feeling a little naughty (. **  
  
Dawn was sitting on the couch flipping through the television channels waiting anxiously for Spike and Buffy to arrive.  
  
"Come on guys." She said looking at her watch. "It shouldn't take Spike a half hour to get movies."  
  
Just as she finished he sentence the front door burst open and Spike came trotting in carrying an orange plastic bag in on hand.  
  
"Finally," Dawn sighed. "God where were you?"  
  
"Getting' your bloody movies." Spike said tossing the bag on the couch next to Dawn and making his way into the kitchen. "There must have been one hell of a sale down there. Soddin' people don't know when to leave the bloody place." Spike pulled out a pack of blood from the refrigerator and tore it open, downing it in one gulp.  
  
"What did you get?" Dawn asked excitedly opening the bag. "Carrie, Children of the Corn, Queen of The Damned, and Romeo and Juliet? Nice choices Spike." Dawn said sarcastically.  
  
"If you don't like them, next time you can get the movies, Niblet." Spike plopped himself down on the couch next to Dawn and grabbed the remote out of her hand.  
  
"Hey." Dawn yelled, trying to grab it back.  
  
"So where's Big Sis?" Spike asked beginning to flip through the channels.  
  
"She should be home soon." Dawn said jumping for the remote. Spike easily eluded her grasps, and continued to flip through the channels. Dawn settled back onto the couch, crossing her arms over her chest in a pout.  
  
"Now come on. You know that doesn't work on me Niblet." Spike said trying to ignore her.  
  
Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Dawn jumped up from the couch and ran to the door. She opened it to see Buffy standing on the other side, a pizza in one hand, her messenger bag around her shoulders, and a bundle of mail in the other hand.  
  
"A little help here?" Buffy moaned.  
  
Dawn took the pizza from her and Spike, who had just showed up behind Dawn, took the mail. Buffy walked inside the house and shut the door behind her. She turned around to see Spike watching her, Dawn was nowhere in sight.  
  
"What?" she asked quietly when she noticed her was staring at her.  
  
"Just wanted to see my girl." Spike said with his deep, husky, sexy voice that made Buffy's knees go weak.  
  
"I'm not your girl Spike." Buffy said trying to sounds annoyed.  
  
"Oh really?" Spike asked moving closer to her. "Well would anyone who wasn't my girl let me do this?"  
  
Spike quickly moved in and covered Buffy's lips with his own. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and hers around his neck. Buffy opened her mouth and their tongues battles for dominance.  
  
"Hey Buffy?" Dawn called from the kitchen.  
  
Buffy and Spike quickly broke apart and looked towards the kitchen.  
  
"Yea Dawn?" Buffy yelled back.  
  
"I can't find the paper plates."  
  
"Coming." Buffy yelled walking.  
  
Spike grabbed her arm. "This isn't over Slayer." He said in a lusty voice.  
  
"By no means." Buffy replied, and walked into the kitchen. She walked over to a long line of cupboards and popped one open. She rummaged through the contents. No plates. She opened the next one and went through it. No plates there either. "Where are they?" Buffy whined as she opened a third cupboard. A slew or paper plates, cups, and disposable silverware fell out onto the counter below. Buffy shielded herself as the shelf came flying out towards her. It too fell, bouncing off the counter and crashing to the floor. "I found the plates."  
  
"Are you all right?" Dawn asked hurrying to her sister's side.  
  
"Yeah," Buffy said examining her arms. "Just a little cut."  
  
"Your shelf's broken, Slayer." Spike said sipping down a soda. He'd begun drinking regular beverages since he and Buffy started "dating". Ever since she started calling him "blood breath".  
  
"Thanks Spike. I noticed." She was examining her arm.  
  
"No big, I fix it with a hammer and some nails." Spike said picking up the shelf.  
  
"You can fix a shelf?" Dawn said in disbelief.  
  
"Well yeah." Spike said with a cocky smile. "I can fix wood, bake cakes, and knit the cutest little sweater you've ever seen."  
  
"Well while you two discuss Spike's abilities," Buffy flashed Spike a wicked grin, "I'm gonna head upstairs and change and clean this cut."  
  
"I'll help you." Spike jumped.  
  
"Whatever." Buffy sighed, pretending to not care, but secretly she was thinking the same thing Spike was. She lead the way out of the kitchen, Spike following.  
  
"Do they really think I don't know?" Dawn asked herself. "Seriously. People can be so naïve."  
  
"Spike I really don't need your help." Buffy said taking the peroxide out of the medicine cabinet. "I can dress this wound myself."  
  
"Never said I was going to help you with your boo boo, Slayer." Spike said. He picked the tiny Slayer up and set her down on the bathroom sink.  
  
"What are you doing?" Buffy asked seductively.  
  
"The thing you want to do, but are too chicken." Spike answered.  
  
"Hey, I'm no chi." Buffy's protest was cut off and covered her mouth with his. She could almost taste the soda he was drinking as his tongue tickled the top of her mouth. She giggled to herself when she felt her back pressing against the mirror on the medicine cabinet. Buffy felt Spike's hand resting on her knees. It began to creep up her leg, tickling her stomach as it passed, and finally landing just below her breasts. She broke the kiss and looked Spike in the eyes. "Dawn's right downstairs you know."  
  
"Really?" Spike asked with fake concern. "Don't bloody care." Again he captured Buffy's lips in a deep, passionate kiss. His hand rose so it was resting on her breast.  
  
Buffy's hands found the bottom of Spike's t-shirt and tugged it out of his jeans. She ran her hands under his shirt over his chest feeling the muscles ripple under her touch. She pulled the shirt up breaking the kiss, momentarily, to slip it over his head. Immediately, their lips were back together.  
  
Spike growled as Buffy's fingers ran over his nipples. He was very ticklish and she knew that. Spike moved his thumbs so were lightly brushing over Buffy's own nipples, molding them into tiny peaks.  
  
"BUFFY?! SPIKE?!" Dawn screamed from downstairs.  
  
The two lovers snapped apart. Spike scrambled to pull his shirt back on, while Buffy jumped down from the sink and opened the door.  
  
"Yeah Dawn?" She yelled down.  
  
"I'm putting the movies in whether or not you two are done screwing or not!" Dawn yelled up laughing.  
  
Buffy waited for Spike to tuck his shirt back in and compose himself before the descended the steps together.  
  
Dawn was sitting on the couch, stuffing a piece of pizza into her mouth.  
  
"Are you two done with the whole sexcapades?" she asked through a mouth of pepperoni.  
  
"What are you talking about Niblet?" Spike asked walking towards Dawn. He tussled her hair as he passes and dropped down on the couch.  
  
"Oh come on." Dawn sighed. "I know about you two."  
  
Buffy and Spike looked at each dumbfounded. Did she really know or was she bluffing?  
  
"Dawnie what are you talking about?" Buffy asked innocently. "Spike and I are.well we're not really friends either, but we're not involved."  
  
"Yeah you're sister's right." Spike added trying to sound convincing.  
  
"Oh please. Do I look stupid to you? Wait, don't answer that." Dawn got up from the couch and sat her sister down next to Spike. "Look, what are the chances that every time you go out to patrol," she pointed at Buffy, "that Spike just happens to be there? And do you really think I don't hear you two at night?" Dawn asked the both of them. "He climbs in your window," she pointed at Spike who sat nervously on the couch. "And then you two make with the wild, loud, obnoxious sex."  
  
Buffy was amazed. She had never thought her sweet, innocent; little sister could say these things.  
  
"I think she's got us, luv." Spike said.  
  
"Finally one of you admits it!" Dawn sighed, throwing her hand into the air. "Now if I could just get the Queen of Denial to admit it."  
  
"Fine," Buffy sighed. "Spike and I have.been.umm.is dating the word?" She looked to Spike for help. "We've been seeing each other."  
  
"And screwing, don't forget screwing." Dawn chimed in.  
  
"Yes," Buffy complied quietly, just above a whisper.  
  
"What was that I couldn't quite hear you." Dawn was enjoying this so much. She loved putting her sister on the spot and making her squirm.  
  
"Niblet." Spike warned softly.  
  
"Fine, fine." Buffy almost yelled. "I have been sleeping with Spike. That's right we've been sleeping together. Or as you like to call it 'making wild, obnoxious sex'!"  
  
There was silence in the room. Dawn looked at Buffy; Buffy looked at Spike; and Spike looked from one Summers to the other.  
  
"Well," he began, breaking the silence. "Now that this is all out in the open. I don't think I have to say anything, but Niblet," Spike looked at Dawn.  
  
"Yeah, yeah I know." Dawn sighed plopping down in a chair. "Don't tell the gang or you'll kill me good."  
  
Without another word, Spike got up off the couch and popped in one of the movies. The screen went fuzzy at first, and then the previews started. Buffy and Spike's relationship wasn't discussed anymore that night. 


	4. Chapter 4

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
The room was dark. The TV screen crackled and hissed with static. The movie had been playing for a full 10 minutes before the Sandman had visited the three occupants, sending them into a deep slumber.  
  
The Slayer was lying on the couch, her feet tucked under her body, her head resting on Spike's chest. She had a half smile spread across her face that gave off the essence of happiness.  
  
Spike's arm rested gingerly on her around her shoulders. His head was tossed back against the back of the couch, mouth slightly open. His chest neglected to rise and fall, leaving Buffy's head still.  
  
Dawn was curled up into a ball, lying in the big, overstuffed chair adjacent to the couch. After she had fallen asleep, Spike draped an afghan over her and tucked it under her chin, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.  
  
"Night Niblet." He whispered before returning to the couch. He and Buffy had then curled up together and fallen asleep as well.  
  
Dawn was the first to wake up. A terrible nightmare about killer squid attacking Sunnydale shook her to the core. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and attempted to stand up. Her legs quaked with sleepiness. Gaining her balance, Dawn walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing. Nothing." Dawn groaned as she searched through the contents. Finally deciding on some Gatorade, she pulled the jug out of the fridge and grabbed a glass out of the cupboard. And then it hit her like a truck.  
  
Dawn was thrust into a room of spinning light. Prisms of color bounced off every wall and into Dawn's eyes. She felt like she was living through the 60s. Like she was hopped up on acid. The colors began to swirl together until it looked like there was a hurricane on each wall. Then the room began to spin and Dawn clung to anything for balance. But there was nothing there; she was in a room with nothing else around her but walls. Everything seemed to be moving; the floor, the ceiling, the walls. Yet Dawn was standing still. She looked down to see why she wasn't moving with the floor, and discovered that she was not standing on the floor but hovering a few inches above it. Her eyes flashed from the floor to the wall across from her.  
  
Then she saw it: Buffy was huddled in an alley, screaming, and clutching her middle. She cried out something but Dawn couldn't hear her sister's voice, but the look on her face said that she was in pain. Her eyes were slammed shut and a few stray tears ran down her face. The only thing that Dawn heard was Buffy's heartbeat. It seemed to bounce off all the walls. Then it was joined by another, this one fainter than the other, but still noticeable.  
  
As quickly as the picture appeared, it morphed into another. Dawn saw University Hospital. She saw an empty hallway. Suddenly Spike came running down that hall carrying something.no someone.in his arms. Dawn recognized the blonde immediately.  
  
"Buffy." She breathed.  
  
Spike ran down the hall carrying her and into a room. This time Dawn heard voices.  
  
"How could this happen?" "Did you know?" "How could she not?" "Is this real?"  
  
The voices sounded, almost angry, like they were in vast emotional pain.  
  
Then everything went black.  
  
Dawn woke up laying on the couch, Buffy and Spike hovering over her.  
  
"Niblet?" Spike asked, his voice full of worry.  
  
"Wh-what happened?" Dawn stuttered. She reached up to touch her head and found a blood-soaked towel there.  
  
"Don't." Buffy said pulling Dawn's hand away. "You collapsed. We found you laying on the kitchen floor."  
  
"What happened Bit?" Spike asked helping Dawn to sit up. "I mean we thought you were still asleep."  
  
"I saw." Dawn stumbled. She looked up at the worried look on Buffy's face. That same look was mirrored on Spike's own. 'Everything is so perfect." Dawn thought. 'I can't screw this up I just can't. Buffy's finally happy, and Spike's here and we're a family. No, I won't tell them.' Dawn stopped for a moment and then began talking again. "I saw a spider."  
  
"You fainted from a spider?" Spike asked, astonished. "That's not very believable, Bit."  
  
"No," Dawn lied. "I saw this spider, and it was like huge, right? I guess I jumped back, lost my footing, and fell. I guess."  
  
"Ugh, yeah." Spike said. He tried to sound convincing, but Buffy picked up on the doubt in his voice.  
  
"Why don't you go get a shower and get ready?" Buffy suggested.  
  
"Why? Where are we going?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Well Spike and I thought it would be nice to go out for dinner tonight."  
  
"But Buffy it's only," Dawn looked down at her watch and a surprised look spread across her face. "Oh, I guess it is close to sunset. OK." Dawn stood up and lost her balance, luckily Spike caught her. "Thanks. I'll be in my bathroom if anyone needs me." Dawn walked cautiously to the basement door and disappeared.  
  
Buffy and Spike looked at each other questioningly.  
  
"You believe her?" Buffy asked climbing onto the couch.  
  
"Not for a second." Spike said taking a seat next to her.  
  
"Is it time to play good cop, bad cop?" Buffy asked as Spike wrapped his arm around her waist.  
  
"Naw, I think we should just let this one go. Maybe you can talk to her at dinner or something. Weasel it outta her?" Spike began kissing Buffy's neck; his fingers walked their way up her arm.  
  
"Mmm, Spike." Buffy moaned. "Dawn's right downstairs."  
  
"Yeah? So?" Spike asked. He pushed Buffy backwards so she was lying on her back, and he was half on top of her. Spike began to kiss up her neck and onto her face. He kissed along her jaw up to her left ear, where he nibbled on her earlobe.  
  
Buffy moaned, but not in pleasure. She suddenly felt a nauseas feeling creeping up her throat. She pushed Spike off her violently and ran for the upstairs bathroom. Spike sat there for a moment before he picked himself up off the couch and followed Buffy's earlier trail upstairs.  
  
'What the hell is going on?' Buffy thought as she leaned over the toilet. Feeling the cold porcelain against her cheek was heaven.  
  
"You alright luv?" Spike called from the other side of the door.  
  
"Y-yeah." Buffy answered. "I'm just dying here." She said in a lower voice.  
  
Spike opened the door and in no time his arms were under Buffy's pulling her to her feet. He turned her to look at him. "Buffy is there something wrong?"  
  
"N-no. No." Buffy lied. "I'm just feeling a little queasy."  
  
"Slayer," Spike said in a warning voice. "Niblet told me about you. Said you've been sick for a couple days now. Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I didn't want to worry you." Buffy said leaning into him, resting her head on his chest. "It's probably just the flu or some bug. I'm fine, trust me."  
  
Spike looked down into her eyes. He could see something there. There was something that she wasn't telling him; some truth she was holding back. He could feel her heart beating against his chest as he stroked her hair softly. "Are you sure you're alright luv?" Spike asked.  
  
"Fine." Buffy said trying to sound chipper. "I should really be getting ready for tonight." She moved from Spike's embrace and walked to the hall, pausing in the bathroom doorway. "Shouldn't you be getting ready too?"  
  
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Spike asked looking down at his attire: the black combat boots, black jeans, a black t-shirt, and his black duster.  
  
"C'mon Spike." Buffy said with a giggle. "Can't you dress up just once in your unlife? For me?" Buffy succeeded in making the puppy-dog face.  
  
"No don't." Spike warned. "That face doesn't work with me."  
  
"Maybe I should get Dawn up here to double the effect." Buffy teased.  
  
"Don't even, Slayer." Spike warned walking towards her. "Fine, whatever, I'll dress up. But don't expect me to act like some bloody ponce, it's just one night, don't think this is going to be a regular thing, the 'me dressing up and taking you out'."  
  
"Wouldn't dare to think about it." Buffy said sweetly walking to her room.  
  
"I'll be back in half an hour and you better be ready." Spike walked behind her and swatted her butt. "Don't be late." 


	5. Chapter 5

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
Dawn stared into the full-length mirror opposite her. She smoothed out her hair with a comb and stared at her reflection.  
  
Buffy told her to dress up for tonight so she chose an ankle length denim skirt, a blue, long sleeve peasant top, and pair of heels. She curled her hair into tight spirals and applied some light make-up.  
  
"Dawn are you almost ready?!" Buffy called from downstairs.  
  
"Yeah." She called back.  
  
"Good." Buffy yelled. "Spike should be here any." The doorbell rang cutting off Buffy's sentence. "Who could that be?" she asked herself. 'Spike never rings, usually he just barges right in.' she thought as she made her way to the door and opened it, gazing at what she saw.  
  
Spike was standing on her front porch wearing a pair of baggy khakis, and a blue sweater that really brought out his eyes; his hair was spiked slightly.  
  
"Oh.my.God." Buffy sighed in amazement. "Spike you look, you look amazing."  
  
"I look like Peaches." Spike groaned stepping inside the house.  
  
Buffy stared in amazement. The thought that Spike had actually compared himself to his Sire amazed her. Spike hated to talk about Angel. "No." Buffy started, shutting the door, "you look amazing. But you couldn't lose the shoes?" She giggled looking down at his old, scummy, combat boots.  
  
"No way pet." Spike laughed pulling her into his arms and kissing her gently. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck, and deepened the kiss.  
  
"God," Dawn sighed coming down the steps. "Don't you people ever give it a break?"  
  
Buffy and Spike broke apart, looking at Dawn. "Bit." Spike said moving to the side of the stairs. "You look gorgeous."  
  
Dawn giggled and said, "Thanks Spike."  
  
"Yeah Dawn you look.are those my shoes?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You look nice too Buffy." Dawn said, quickly changing the subject.  
  
"Uh, yeah." Spike said quickly trying to recover. "I thought that went without saying."  
  
"It does." Buffy said with a smug smile. "But it's always nice to hear."  
  
"Well I love the sweater." Spike said trying to sound like he cared. If it were up to him Buffy would never wear clothes, but that wasn't exactly legal. He came back over to Buffy and whispered in her ear, "Love the way it clings to your."  
  
Buffy shoved him away playfully before he could finish that thought. "Okay. Off to dinner?"  
  
"Where are we going?" Dawn asked excitedly.  
  
"I don't know." Spike teased. "How about that swanky place down on Brooks Avenue?"  
  
"The real expensive place that makes you use like all those little forks, and has cloth napkins and everything?" Dawn yelled.  
  
"That's the one." Spike said with a grin. "Better get movin'."  
  
The restaurant was beautiful. Chandeliers hung above every table, and a bottle of wine sat beside them. The tables themselves were huge, being able to seat 6 people around them. Being only three of them, Dawn, Buffy, and Spike were pretty far spread out. They had a table near the back of the restaurant, and there weren't many people around them.  
  
"Spike this place is great." Dawn said picking at a roll the waitress had brought them. "What's the occasion?"  
  
"What? Can't I take my girls out for a night on the town?" Spike asked fiddling with his silverware.  
  
"Physically, yes." Buffy joked. "It's just that you never do, so Dawn and I are worried. Are you dying?"  
  
Spike just looked at Buffy with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Okay." Buffy sighed. "That really doesn't work with you does it?"  
  
"Not really, luv." Spike laughed. "I just felt like taking my two favorite girls out for dinner and a movie. Is that so wrong?"  
  
Both Buffy and Dawn looked at Spike with questioning expressions.  
  
"Okay, okay." Spike admitted. "I won a couple bucks playing poker against Clem, and figured this would be a great way to spend it."  
  
"Well at least you've stopped playing for kittens." Buffy sighed and set down her menu. "That's always a plus."  
  
A waitress appeared next to their table holding a small notepad in one hand. She pulled a pencil out of the top binding of it and stood poised to write. "Are you all ready to order?" she asked sweetly.  
  
"Yes." Buffy said quickly. "I'll have an order of popcorn shrimp, the chicken Alfredo, a bowl of the cream of broccoli soup, and a strawberry virgin margarita."  
  
Dawn and Spike just stared at Buffy as she ordered.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing." Dawn said and then turned back to the waitress. "I'll have the fettuccini and chicken special and a glass of spring water."  
  
The waitress jotted that down and turned to Spike. "And for you?"  
  
"I'll have the lobster and a glass of red wine." He said. The waitress wrote it down and took off. Dawn and Spike stared at Buffy.  
  
"What?" she asked again.  
  
"Buff, don't you think that's a lot of food. I mean you could feed the entire gang with that." Dawn said.  
  
"I don't know." Buffy said smoothing the tablecloth nervously. "It's just that lately I've been eating a lot. Everything just seems to look good."  
  
"That time of the month Slayer?" Spike teased.  
  
"Spike!" Dawn said loudly, but just under a shout. "God, Neanderthal much?"  
  
"No." Buffy said seriously. "Maybe just getting over the throwing-up- sickness-thingy."  
  
"Yeah." Dawn nodded. "But I still think you should see a doctor."  
  
"Dawn I'm." Buffy began, but Spike cut her off.  
  
"It's already taken care of." Spike announced. "I made an appointment with Dr. Bringston next week. You'll go by yourself, unless I have to drag you in there."  
  
Buffy looked at the determined look on Spike's face. That same look was mirrored on Dawn's face.  
  
"Okay, okay." Buffy finally surrendered. "I'll go, but I don't have to be happy about it."  
  
"Good." Dawn said. "Let's just eat this now?" 


	6. Chapter 6

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
It had been just over a week since Dawn had had her vision and there hadn't been another one since. The mark on her head had all but disappeared and the memories of the sights she had seen were erased from her memory.  
  
"Dawnie you're gonna be late for school!" Buffy yelled from the kitchen. Smoke filled the air, as the eldest Summers attempted to cook a nutritious, healthy breakfast for her sister. "Dawn!"  
  
"I'm here, I'm here." Dawn answered, bounding into the kitchen, waving away the smoke and coughing dramatically. "Geez Buffy what are you trying to do? Burn the house down?"  
  
"Shut up, Smarty-pants." Buffy teased her sister. "F-Y-I, I'm trying to cook breakfast for you. But you're late, so that's out of the question." Buffy slid a pancake out of the skillet and plopped it onto a plat while she slid the skillet into a sink full of water.  
  
"I think I'll just grab something at school." Dawn said, hefting her book bag to her shoulder.  
  
"Your school serves breakfast now?" Buffy asked in amazement. "Wow. All I ever got there was sent to the principal's office and many, many demons."  
  
"Yeah." Dawn said. "I'll just grab a pack of donuts. You know, the powdered kind. The ones you can't eat without getting messy."  
  
"Donuts?" Buffy gawked. "Yeah that's balanced breakfast. What do you eat for lunch? A bag of chips?"  
  
Dawn looked up at her sister with a guilty face.  
  
"Oh God." Buffy snickered. "Please tell me you don't eat a bag of chips for lunch. Dawn!"  
  
"What?" she looked for a quick escape but found none. "It's just that.the Winter Formal is coming up and I saw this really cute dress in April Fools, and I wanted to fit into it."  
  
"So?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well they don't have it in my size. So it's either drop a size or find another dress." Dawn looked at her sister and saw the worry on her face. "Chill Buffy's I'm gonna be fine. I swear after the dance I'll gain 10 pounds if you want."  
  
"Fine." Buffy laughed. "Get moving you're gonna be late for school."  
  
Dawn grabbed her book bag off the stool and swung it over one of her shoulders. She kissed her sister and was out the door. "Oh Buffy!" Dawn yelled running back through the door. "Don't forget your doctor's appointment is today. And you know Spike will kill you if you don't go." Without a response from her sister, Dawn once again left the kitchen and the house.  
  
'I can't believe this. It's not right; it's a-a glitch or something. This can't be happening!' Buffy thought as she drifted through town. She had no idea what street she was on or even if she was still in Sunnydale. Nor did she care. 'No way. This isn't happening, I'm dreaming of something. Yeah that's it. I'm just dreaming.' Buffy lightly slapped her own arm. "Nope, not dreaming. But this can't be true."  
  
She rounded the corner and ran into an elderly couple walking their dog.  
  
"Oh sorry, Miss." The man said. The dog on the leash in front of him looked up and growled at Buffy. "Biscuit knock it off." The man scolded him.  
  
"He never does this." The woman added.  
  
"It's okay." Buffy said half-heartedly. "Probably just scared him."  
  
"I am sorry, Miss." The woman apologized again. "Come on Anthony." She said pulling the man's sleeve.  
  
Buffy let the couple pass her and then turned down the street they had just left.  
  
"She's definitely the one." The old lady said.  
  
"It's happened already." The man agreed. "The chain of events is set into place."  
  
The old couple walked down the street chanting as they went:  
  
Two of the two, That never should be. Two of the two, Shall be the key. Two of the two, Are the ones we need. Two of the two, Will set us free.  
  
Buffy walked into her house and locked the door behind her. She leaned back against it, feeling the cold wood against her arms.  
  
"This isn't right," She said aloud to no one in particular. "This can't be. Spike.Spike can't d-do this. He's a-he's a vampire, and he c-can't do this." The tears started falling down her face as the truth of what was happening began to sink in. "No." She told herself as she sunk to the floor in a heap, crying and shaking. "No. I'm not pregnant. I can't be. The doctor's wrong."  
  
Buffy looked up. The basement door swung open and Spike strutted in.  
  
"Slayer!" he called, not noticing Buffy sitting on the ground.  
  
She quickly picked herself up off the ground and wiped the tears from her face. "What do you want?" She asked, annoyed.  
  
Spike studied her face. "What's wrong pet?" he asked concerned.  
  
"Nothing." She lied. "You need something?"  
  
"Just came by for a little." He came over to her and tried to wrap his arms around her, but she pushed him away. "What?"  
  
"Not now, Spike." Buffy said moving past him to the kitchen island. "If there's nothing you want, I-I'd rather just be alone right now."  
  
Spike looked at her, trying to see if she was for real. The look on her face told him she was. "What's wrong?" He asked in a more serious tone.  
  
"Nothing. It's just-" she started but felt the churning in her stomach start once more. "Oh great." She mumbled as she plowed past him, and ran up the steps.  
  
"I thought I told you to go to the doc's." Spike yelled after her.  
  
"Did!" Buffy yelled back between gagging and throwing up.  
  
"What'd he say?" Spike called from the bottom of the steps.  
  
"He said that I-" There was a pause.  
  
"Said what Slayer?"  
  
'I can't tell him. Not yet.' Buffy thought. She laid her head against the toilet feeling the porcelain cool her skin. She pulled herself to her feet, fighting the feeling of impending sickness rising in her, and walked to the doorway. "He said I was getting over the flu." She was lying and prayed that Spike couldn't see her face.  
  
Buffy was a horrible liar. Every time someone looked at her face when she was lying they knew instantly. Her cheeks turned red, and she couldn't look the person in the face.  
  
"You should go to bed. Niblet should be home soon, and she can take care of you." Spike called up. "Want me to stay?"  
  
"No!" She yelled back quickly. "I'll be fine. I'll just go to bed like you said. Leave. I'll be fine."  
  
"Alright pet." Spike said. "Call if you need anything." With that he left.  
  
"I need a lot." Buffy admitted to herself. "Right now I need a time machine to go back in time and stop myself from sleeping with you." Buffy walked across the hall and into her room. She crawled into her bed, under the covers.  
  
'No way this is happening.' She thought as her eyelids sunk down casting her into the world of darkness. 'No way possible. It's not possible. It's just-a-a fluke. That's what it is. A fluke. Nothing's wrong.'  
  
They filtered into the room. No one there was dressed in anything other than the traditional black robe. Their faces were covered and a quiet chant arose from the group.  
  
"Two of the two, that never should be. Two of the two, shall be the key." They sang, as a smaller group began to pour an array of liquids into a huge vat in the center of the room. As the liquids combine a thick green smoke arose from the vat filling the room.  
  
"Two of the two, are the ones we need. Two of the two, will set us free!"  
  
An explosion shook the place and a great flame erupted from the vat.  
  
"It has happened." One of the cloaked creatures called. "The ones that shall deliver us are at hand. The Slayer is to protect this world, yet, unknown to her; she will bring about the end of it! Of her own intent."  
  
** Author's Notes: Okay, I know, I know. Nobody really wants another 'Buffy-gets-pregnant-by-Spike' story, but I swear this one will be original. Just give it a chance. ** 


	7. Chapter 7

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
Two months. It had been two months since Buffy found out she was pregnant. Two months of morning sickness, and finding bigger clothes. She hadn't begun to show yet, so no one else knew as of yet.  
  
The way she figured it, Buffy was about 10 weeks along. She started wearing baggier clothes so no one would notice that she was gaining weight.  
  
"Dawnie? You up yet?" Buffy called, lightly knocking on her sister's bedroom door. There was no answer. "Dawn?" Buffy pushed the door lightly, just enough so that she could peek inside.  
  
Dawn's bed was made, her clothes were put away, and there wasn't a single thing on the floor. All her stuffed animals were sitting quietly near the top of her bed, and a pair of jeans and t-shirt were laid at the bottom.  
  
"This can't be good." Buffy joked. "Dawn's never this organized."  
  
"Whatcha lookin' at?" Dawn asked, causing Buffy to jump. She turned around to see her sister looking at her with a confused face.  
  
"Dawn, geez!" Buffy gasped. "What are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?"  
  
Dawn pushed passed her sister and into her room. "What did you need?" she asked flopping down on her bed.  
  
"I just came to see if you were up or not." Buffy said taking a few steps into the room. "So what's the agenda for today? I don't have work this weekend so we could go see a movie if you want."  
  
"Buffy?" Dawn asked. "Don't you remember?"  
  
"Remember what?" Buffy asked back.  
  
"Buffy, Giles is coming in today." Dawn said matter-of-factly. "His flight land in two hours. We're supposed to go pick him up."  
  
Buffy stared blankly at Dawn for a moment and then it all came rushing back to her. She had taken off work until Tuesday so she could spend time with Giles. He was catching a flight from London to L.A., and then a hopper from L.A. to Sunnydale.  
  
"Right." Buffy said, playfully slapping her head. "But that still doesn't explain why your room is all cleaned up. Oh no," her face sunk into a look of peril, "this is one of those signs of an apocalypse isn't it? Is the world ending again?"  
  
"Shut up." Dawn spat, picking up a pillow and flinging it at her sister's head.  
  
Buffy easily avoided the on coming pillow and stuck her tongue out. "Slayer powers." Buffy explained. "You'll never beat me in a pillow fight."  
  
"Just wait and see." Dawn said mysteriously. "Somewhere, sometime, you'll go down."  
  
"Oh please." Buffy teased. "Stop with the cryptic. I get that enough from Spike." She picked up the pillow lying beside her feet and tossed it onto the bed. "I'll go get dressed and then we'll head. We can stop for some lunch before we pick up Giles."  
  
"Sounds good." Dawn said. She got up and pushed her sister out of the room. "Now leave, I have to change too."  
  
Giles walked through the airport lugging his two bags along. He wished dearly that just once he could have a trip to see his slayer that didn't involve a horrid prophecy. But alas it was not meant to be.  
  
Before he had left England, he had been debriefed by the Watcher's Council about a prophecy that- surprise surprise- involved that slayer. Giles hated to be the barer of bad news, but being a Watcher it was his sacred duty.  
  
This prophecy was unlike any other he had heard before. All the Council could tell him was that it involved the Slayer and would indeed bring about the end of the world. But there was something else. Something about a riddle.  
  
"Two of the two, that never should be." Giles mumbled to himself as he made his way through the crowd. 'It just doesn't make sense. One of the two is the Slayer, that much we know, but.' His thoughts were interrupted by a voice.  
  
"Giles!" someone called.  
  
He turned around to see Dawn rushing at him. She threw herself in his arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"It's so good to see you." She said taking a step back.  
  
"As always it's a delight to see you too, Dawn." Giles replied. "Where's your sister?"  
  
"Buffy?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Unless you have another sister that I'm unaware about." Giles laughed.  
  
"She's coming." Dawn said picking up on of Giles's bags. "Let me help you."  
  
"Giles!" Buffy yelled coming up behind them. He turned and was greeted by another set of arms embracing him, this time with much more strength.  
  
"It's great to see you." She said, still holding him tight.  
  
"You-too." Giles managed to gasp out. "Um Buffy-"  
  
"Yea." She asked still in an embrace.  
  
"Can't-breath-" Giles choked out.  
  
"Oh, God. Sorry." Buffy apologized, releasing her grip. "I'm just glad to see you again."  
  
"As am I." Giles said looking her over. "You look different."  
  
Buffy jumped. 'Does he know? He can't know. There's no way to tell, right? Oh God, please don't let him know.' Her thoughts raced a million miles a minute. She was too busy thinking to hear what Giles had said. "What was that?" she asked politely.  
  
"I said, Did you cut your hair?" Giles repeated himself.  
  
Buffy let out a sigh of relief. "No, maybe just the way I have it pulled up."  
  
"Perhaps." Giles said. "Shall we?"  
  
"We shall." Dawn said with a giggle, leading them out of the airport.  
  
Later that night, Spike was patrolling in the cemetery near his crypt. He'd been chasing a Kroliocta Demon for almost an hour, and couldn't find him anywhere. He decided he better recruit Buffy for some help.  
  
He walked down Revello Drive whistling one of those stupid jingles he heard on the telly. When he got to the Slayer's house, he noticed that the lights were on in the living room. He strode down the sidewalk and up the porch steps pushing the door open ands stepping inside.  
  
"Spike." Dawn called from the living room.  
  
Spike walked through the door and saw the whole group there. Willow was sitting on one of the chairs and Tara was set on the arm of it. Xander and Anya were seated on the couch next to Giles, and Buffy was on the other side. Dawn was sitting on the floor beside her sister.  
  
"Hello all." Spike said, trying to sound as pleasant as possible without making himself physically nauseous.  
  
"Hey Spike." Tara said.  
  
"Spike." Xander called.  
  
"Hello Spike." Giles said. The he turned back to Dawn on the floor. "How did you know it was him without even looking?"  
  
"Easy," Dawn laughed. "Everyone else is here and Spike's the only one who just barges right in." Everyone else in the room laughed too.  
  
"Right," Spike said getting back to why he had come here. "Not to break up the party or anything, but I need your help." He directed his eyes at Buffy.  
  
"What's up, Spike?" She asked rising from the couch.  
  
"There's this Kroliocta Demon that I can't seem to find. Nasty sort of fella, all claws and teeth." Spike explained.  
  
"You should go Buffy." Giles said standing up. "I'm tired. Think I'll go to bed."  
  
"Okay." Buffy said stepping over Dawn to get to Spike. "You'll get Dawn to bed? Sometime tonight?" She asked.  
  
"Of course." Giles assured her.  
  
"Well we should be going." Xander said picking himself up off the couch. "Will, Tara you guys want a ride home?"  
  
"Sure." Tara said, rising and pulling her girlfriend with her.  
  
"You ready Spike?" Buffy asked. She grabbed her coat and stopped at the door.  
  
"Yeah." He said turning to her. "Night all." He called back before they left the house.  
  
"Last time I saw it," Spike began as they paced the neighborhood near the Bronze, "it was right around here."  
  
"So what does this thing look for?" Buffy asked. Her head turned from side to side, checking out every shadow for possible hiding places.  
  
"It likes wet places." Spike said checking out the other side of the street. "Sewers, drains, ditches. Basically anyplace that has moisture of any type." Spike stopped walking and looked at Buffy with raised eyebrows.  
  
"What?" she asked, confused.  
  
"You know," Spike said in his low, sinister voice. "We don't have to find this thing right away. We could." He moved towards her, his arm circling her waist.  
  
"Spike!" she shoved him away. "We've got a demon to find."  
  
Spike looked at her with his puppy dog eyes.  
  
"After," she said. "After we kill the demon." Buffy smiled and earned a grin out of Spike as well.  
  
A growl followed by a chorus of screams erupted from an alleyway down the road.  
  
"Looks like we found our man." Buffy said.  
  
"Yeah," Spike agreed. "You go into the mouth there, and I'll loop around back. We'll come at him from all angles. Won't know what hit him."  
  
"Let's go." Buffy said, taking off in a sprint. She was into the alley in no time at all.  
  
Shadows covered the walls and parts of the floor. A dumpster sat against one wall.  
  
"No monster." Buffy said quietly. She crept down the alley, staying close to the shadows. Then she saw it.  
  
An enormous green demon with countless claws and teeth. Its mouth was littered with them; three rows on the bottom and three on the top. Each tooth seemed to be bigger than the last, and pointier.  
  
"Here we go." Buffy said quietly to herself. She leapt out of the shadows and landed a swift kick to his chest, sending the demon stumbling backwards. Buffy landed flat on her feet and fell back into her fight stance. "You know I was really hoping to at least have one night where I didn't have to beat something's ass." Buffy punned. The demon rushed her and she easily jumped out of the way, and landed an elbow in the back of its head. "But I guess it does do the body good."  
  
She missed the monster's next attack. He backhanded her across the face, sending her flying into the dumpster. Buffy shook off the pain in her shoulder and picked herself up into a fight stance again. She got another kick in before the demon got the best of her.  
  
He landed a quick punch to her face and a kick to her stomach sent her flying into the wall. She landed with a sickening thud.  
  
Buffy immediately grabbed her stomach and cried out in pain. She had never felt this amount of pain after a fight before. She thought only of her child. 'Ohmigod.' She admitted to herself. 'My child. Can't let.get hurt.' She clutched her stomach and screamed as loud as she possibly could. "SPIKE!"  
  
The demon stalked towards her, and Buffy inched backwards. "Well this is a first," it snickered. "Don't think I've ever heard of the Slayer cowering in fear. Wait till everyone hears about this." Then it's body dropped, lifeless in front of Buffy.  
  
"Don't think he'll be doing much telling to anyone." Spike said, standing above the body. He stretched his hand towards Buffy. She went to take his hand, but doubled back in pain. "Slayer?" Spike asked worried.  
  
Buffy just sat there and cried, clutching her stomach. The pain shot through her like a lightening bolt through the night sky. And it all seemed to settle in her stomach. "Oh God." She cried.  
  
"Slayer what's wrong?" Spike asked, kneeling by her side.  
  
"Spike." Buffy said weakly. "Take me-"  
  
"Home?" Spike finished.  
  
"No," Buffy tried to get up, but Spike wrapped his arm around her and lifted her off the ground. "Hospital. Take me to the-hospital."  
  
Spike was stunned. Since when did the Slayer ever admit that she needed professional medical attention? He figured someone was really wrong. He picked her up with both arms and took off running in the direction of University Hospital. 


	8. Chapter 8

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
**Author's Notes: Okay, I'm not a med student, so when you hit all the medical stuff, I made it up! I've watched ER and Scrubs a few times, but that's it. So if some of it doesn't make sense, that's why. Thanx! **  
  
"How long do you think before they get back?" Dawn asked Giles. Both were sitting in the Summers' living room playing a game of Monopoly.  
  
"I don't know, Dawn." Giles said tossing the dice onto the board. "But I told your sister that I would have you in bed sometime tonight."  
  
"It's only 11:23." Dawn said, glancing down at her watch. "I've still got time. Besides there's no way I'm going to bed when I'm finally winning a game against you."  
  
"You are not winning." Giles huffed. "I'm simply in a slump."  
  
"You're losing." Dawn laughed. "But you're too British to admit it."  
  
"I am not." Giles said. He rose from his chair and walked to the kitchen door. "Would you care for something to drink?"  
  
"I'll get them." Dawn said rushing to the kitchen. She only made it five steps before she collapsed.  
  
Again she was in the spinning room. The colors were back, and swirling even faster this time. She was still floating above the floor, but something was different. There was sound this time. A low pitched, almost a whisper. Dawn couldn't make out the words, but she got a vibe from it that sent shivers down her spine.  
  
Gradually the whispers grew louder until she could make out the words.  
  
"TWO OF THE TWO, TWO OF THE TWO, TWO OF THE TWO, TWO OF THE TWO, TWO OF THE TWO." A chorus of voices shouted. The sound seemed to surround her, with no origin.  
  
Dawn brought her hands to her ears to dull the sound but it did nothing. The voices grew louder and louder, still chanting the same thing.  
  
Then a loud boom erupted from nowhere, but the voices continued to shout. That's when she finally saw it.  
  
Two robed figures entered the room. Their cloaks were different than the others'. They were an off white color decorated with beads and jewels. Atop their heads was some sort of black headdress. It was made of thorns or something like it.  
  
They were carrying something too. Dawn couldn't tell what it was, but each of them was carrying one. It was wrapped in a white cloth, whatever it was.  
  
"The two of the two!" the crowd shouted and bowed before them.  
  
"The sacrifices." One of them shouted. "We shall be free!"  
  
Spike had no idea he could possibly run that fast, and carrying a person too. But he sprinted down the road, looking only straight ahead.  
  
'Gotta get her help.' He thought. His feet pounded on the pavement as he turned the corner to University Hospital. The automatic doors swung open and Spike plowed through.  
  
"I need some help!" He shouted. Immediately a dozen doctors and nurses surrounded Spike.  
  
"What happened?" one of the doctors asked.  
  
"We were attacked." Spike said quickly.  
  
One of the nurses pushed over a bed. Spike gently laid Buffy's body on it. The doctors went to work.  
  
"Pulse faint."  
  
"Breaths are labored and shallow."  
  
"She took one to the stomach." Spike managed to get in before he was cut off again.  
  
"Let's get her in to ER 1 and start a mainline." Buffy's bed was pushed away by a group of four or five doctors and nurses. Spike tried to follow but one of them held him back. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to stay here."  
  
"But I've got to stay with her." Spike attempted to get past the man, but he blocked the way.  
  
"Sir," a doctor appeared in the doorway of where the bed had disappeared. "Sir we have a multiple patient complication."  
  
"What's that mean?" Spike asked looking worried.  
  
The doctor turned quickly. "That means your girlfriend is pregnant." He said before he too disappeared through the door.  
  
Spike stood there in awe. 'Buffy.pregnant?'  
  
"Dawn?" Giles called. He waved the smelling salt in front of her and called again, "Dawn? Can you hear me?"  
  
Dawn's eyes fluttered open and the light came fading back. "Not again." Dawn sighed rubbing her head.  
  
"Again?" Giles questioned. "Dawn, has this happened before?"  
  
She looked up at him. Giles was the father that Dawn never really had. She felt like she could tell him everything, but she still didn't want to ruin it.  
  
"Dawn," Giles said in a caring voice, "Dawn you need to tell me what happened."  
  
"I-I uh-" Dawn stuttered, still trying to make up her mind. "I had a vision."  
  
"You had a-a vision?" Giles stumbled. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How did this start? Was this the first one? Or has happened before?"  
  
"Once." Dawn admitted.  
  
"Why didn't Buffy tell me about this?" Giles asked.  
  
"I didn't tell her." Dawn said quietly. At Giles's questioning look she explained further. "It's just that, Buffy's finally starting to enjoy life again, and I didn't want to ruin everything. Even she and Spike were starting to get along."  
  
"Dawn, you can't-" Giles began, but was cut off by the phone ringing. He went to answer it, and Dawn sat up.  
  
Her head was pounding. 'Probably from bouncing off the floor.' She thought.  
  
Giles returned seconds later with a worried look on his face.  
  
"Giles what's wrong?" Dawn immediately asked.  
  
"That was Spike." Giles failed to explain further.  
  
"Giles speak!" Dawn demanded.  
  
'God she sounds so much like her sister.' Giles thought. "Spike took Buffy to the hospital."  
  
Dawn jumped up from the couch and fell right back down again. Giles moved beside her and helped her to her feet.  
  
"Is she okay? Was she hurt bad? What about the-" Dawn stopped herself just in time. She hadn't let anyone know that she knew about Buffy's current "situation". She didn't even think that Buffy knew herself. "Is she gonna be okay, Giles?"  
  
"I don't know. Spike said they took her into the Emergency Room." He explained.  
  
"Let's go." Dawn said rushing to the door.  
  
"Dawn!" Giles shouted, running after her. He grabbed her coat off the hook and handed it to her. "Put on your coat. It's freezing out there."  
  
Dawn slipped on her coat and Giles his. They were out the door in no time at all. 


	9. Chapter 9

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
"Giles can't you drive any faster?!" Dawn was getting slightly annoyed with the fact that the rental car that Giles got never went over 30 mph.  
  
"I'm doing the speed limit, Dawn." Giles said.  
  
"Go. Faster." Dawn grumbled.  
  
Giles punched the gas and the car lurched forward. They took the corner to the hospital on what felt like two wheels. He slammed on the brakes just outside the doors and sent he and Dawn flying forward.  
  
"Geez you drive like Anya." Dawn groaned as she climbed out of the car. Giles met her on the other side of the car and they went in together.  
  
Spike had been sitting in the ER waiting room for almost an hour, but it felt like an eternity to him. He'd called the Watcher about 5 minutes ago. For the life, or rather the unlife of him, he couldn't understand why he had waited so long.  
  
Question upon question raced through his mind. 'Buffy's pregnant? But I can't do that. I don't think so anyhow. Oh God Buffy's pregnant. That monster it hit her in the stomach. I'll kill!'  
  
Finally one of the doctors that had taken Buffy before came back out. Spike stood and moved to him. "Is she okay? Can I see her?"  
  
"She'll be fine." The doctor said with a slight smile. "She's still out, but she should be coming out of it soon, if you want to go in and sit with her." He motioned to the doors.  
  
Spike was passed him before he even finished that last sentence. He pushed through the swinging doors and found a short hallway with maybe two of three doors on either side. Spike walked slowly down the corridor looking into windows.  
  
'This place is just depressing.' He thought as he passed a room where a young girl lay in a bed, unconscious, surrounded by family.  
  
Finally he came to the last window on his right. He looked in and saw Buffy's small figure lying in a bed. Spike pushed through the doors and stepped inside.  
  
The room was dimly lit, casting shadows everywhere. Buffy's limp body was lying on the bed in the center of the room. An IV was strung from her left arm to a bag dangling behind her bed. One of those hospital bracelets was hooked on her right wrist.  
  
"Oh God." Spike whispered. He grabbed a chair from the corner of the room and pulled it up beside her bed. He sat in it and took her hand in his. "God Buffy." He whispered again. "I know you're still in there, and I know you can hear me." As he talked to her, he stroked the back of her hand. "Come on, Slayer. Time to wake up. The Watcher'll be here soon with Little Bit. Don't want her to see you like this now do you?" he pleaded. Spike felt her hand tense and he looked up at her face. "Slayer?" Buffy's eyes opened slightly, just enough for Spike to see the emeralds hidden behind them. "There's my girl." He said with a huge smile.  
  
"S-s-spike?" Buffy said. It was loud enough for just him to hear.  
  
"I'm here." Spike said.  
  
"What h-happened?" she asked.  
  
"Demon took you down." Spike explained. He continued to stroke her hand gently as he talked. "Buffy, when were you going to tell me?"  
  
She stopped and looked at him. He hadn't explained what he was talking about, but she knew anyhow. She knew that Spike had found out about her being pregnant. 'Oh God.' She thought, memories flooding back. 'That thing kicked me in the stomach.'  
  
"Buffy?" Spike asked again, noticing her staring into space.  
  
"I'm sorry." She choked out. She tried to hold them back, but tears slowly started to form in the corners of her eyes. "I'm so sorry."  
  
"No pet." Spike stood up and wrapped his arms around her shoulders the best he could. "There's nothing to be sorry for."  
  
"I just don't know how this happened." Buffy sobbed. "I mean you can't- um."  
  
"I know pet." Spike said. He sat back down on the chair and took her hand again.  
  
"The demon." Buffy started. "He kicked me, in the stomach." She ran a hand slowly down to her abdomen.  
  
"We'll get a sonogram later." Spike said.  
  
"Sir," a man appeared in the doorway. "Oh good to see you're awake."  
  
"Can I help you?" Spike asked a little rudely.  
  
"There is an older man and a young girl out here looking for you and the lady."  
  
"Giles," Spike said to Buffy, "and Bit. Show them back, will ya?"  
  
"Sure," was all he said and left the room.  
  
"Spike," Buffy pleaded. "Don't tell Giles or Dawn. I.I want to tell them myself."  
  
"Sure thing pet." Spike assured her.  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn cried as she ran to her sister's bed and threw her arms around her.  
  
"Dawnie." Buffy managed to say as she tried to pry her younger sister off her. "I'm glad to see you too."  
  
"Buffy, how are you feeling? Are you all right?" Giles asked.  
  
"I'm fine." Buffy said, her sister still clinging to her.  
  
"Uh Bit," Spike ventured, "she's gotta breath you know."  
  
Dawn backed off of her sister. "Sorry," she apologized quickly. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean what about the-" Dawn stopped herself again.  
  
"What about the what?" Buffy asked, confused.  
  
"What about the.um.the demon?" Dawn recovered quickly. 'Oh no,' Dawn thought, 'they're gonna know that I know.'  
  
"Spike got it." Buffy explained. "That was after he took me down,"  
  
"What happened?" Giles asked. "Did he have some type of uh, super strength or something?"  
  
"No, he just hit me.here." Buffy rubbed her stomach.  
  
"And why exactly would that cause you to fall?" Giles asked confused. "You've been in numerous fights, Buffy. And I imagine you been hit in the stomach before, but."  
  
"Umm, Giles?" Buffy said wearily. "Dawn? There's something I have to tell you both." She looked up at Spike for reassurance, and she found it in his face. Spike reached over and took her hand.  
  
"Buffy what is going on?" Giles asked.  
  
"I'm.um.I don't really know how to say this." again she looked up at Spike.  
  
He saw the desperation in her eyes. These were the people she loved the most. "We're uh." Spike began, clutching her hand tightly, "we're gonna have a baby." There it was out. Well at least to two of them knew.  
  
Giles stood there for a moment and stared at his Slayer. 'This isn't happening.' He thought. 'This physically can't happen.'  
  
"Oh my gosh, Buffy!" Dawn screamed. "Oh my gosh! I'm gonna be an aunt!" She rushed back over to the bed and once again threw her arms around her older sister. "I love you." Dawn whispered in her ear. Then she ran over to Spike. She almost knocked him flat on his butt. "Oh my gosh Spike this is so awesome!" Dawn threw her arms around him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Buffy, how." Giles started. He took off his glasses and pulled the handkerchief from his pocket. "How could this happen?"  
  
"I don't know." Buffy admitted. "Spike and I.um."  
  
"Slayer," Spike said untangling himself from Dawn's grasp, "seeing as how he knows you're pregnant, I think he gets that we're sleeping together."  
  
Buffy's cheeks turned a deep crimson. 


	10. Chapter 10

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
** Author's Notes: Short chapter, I know. But don't worry, next one will make up for it. **  
  
Dawn had fallen asleep, curled into a ball in a chair in the corner, Spike's duster thrown over her like a blanket.  
  
Spike had stayed up all night talking to Buffy and assuring her that everything was going to be okay. That is until he too fell asleep in his chair.  
  
Although he seemed to be secure and happy on the outside, Spike was a wreck. After the initial shock of the news, Spike had been thrilled. But the more he thought about it, the less sure he became. Every time he tried to think happy, something more horrific came to his attention.  
  
'How did this happen? What happens next? What about.oh God, what if it's half vampire? Can it be half vampire? How is this physically possible?'  
  
But he brushed them all aside and kept a bright face. 'Have to keep strong. Gotta stay for Buffy. Have to be there for her.'  
  
Buffy herself was asleep; her hand still nestled in Spike's. Her nerves had been on end all night, but telling Giles made her feel a little better. It was finally out in the open. It was the next morning before Buffy got her sonogram.  
  
"Good morning everyone." The doctor sang as he came into Buffy's room with the machine. "How are we this morning?" He came over to Buffy and took her wrist, checking her pulse.  
  
"Feeling better." Buffy said in a chipper voice. "Can I go home now?"  
  
"Well that's what we're here to determine." The doc said as he hooked up the machine and searched for the gel.  
  
"Patience luv." Spike said. "Uh, Niblet?"  
  
Dawn was still asleep in the corner. She didn't even twitch when Spike called her.  
  
"Bit?" he called again; still no response. Rolling his eyes, Spike got up from his chair and walked to Dawn's. "Platelet?" he called and shook her shoulders gently.  
  
Dawn's eyes popped open immediately. "Spike? What do you want?"  
  
"Wow," Spike said in fake shock. "Such attitude, even when she wakes up. Just thought you'd want to be awake for this." He pointed behind him at the doc talking to Buffy.  
  
"Oh, right." Dawn said blushing. "I didn't sleep very well. That's why I'm cranky." She lied. Spike helped her off the chair and over to her sis's bed.  
  
The doctor had already explained things to Buffy and was just ready to begin. The machine hummed; the doc rubbed a clear gel over Buffy's abdomen. Buffy shivered slightly.  
  
"Cold?" Dawn asked standing beside the bed.  
  
"Yea," Buffy said. "Morning."  
  
"Morning." Dawn answered.  
  
"Ready?" the doctor asked.  
  
Buffy looked from Spike to Dawn and back again. "We're ready." She said. Spike's handed snaked into Buffy's and he squeezed it gently.  
  
The doc pressed the wand to her stomach and the machine's screen came to life.  
  
Buffy wasn't sure what she was looking at. To her, the screen just looked like one of those old black and white TVs with bad interception. 'Just like the one in Spike's crypt.' She thought.  
  
Spike stared at the machine with a blank expression on his face. "Uh, doc?" Spike questioned. "What exactly are we looking at? 'Cause honestly, I'm not seeing a bloody thing."  
  
"Me either." Dawn admitted. "It kinda just looks like a big blob."  
  
"Yea," Buffy agreed. "But I'm sure the doctor knows what he's looking for. What are you looking for?"  
  
"Well," the doc began to explain, "you can't really see much. You're only about 2 months along. But you see this spot right here?" he pointed to a darker portion of the screen. "This is the heart. And.oh."  
  
"Oh?" Buffy asked, suddenly scared. "What oh?"  
  
"Good oh or bad oh?" Spike asked.  
  
"It's just that..." The doctor said, studying the screen carefully. "This is something I hadn't anticipated."  
  
"What?" Buffy asked again, her attitude had severely changed from excited to scared and worried.  
  
"There's two." he said.  
  
"What?" Spike asked.  
  
"Miss Summers," the doctor said, turning to Buffy and company, "you're going to have twins."  
  
** Author's Notes: Okay, again with the "I don't know anything about medical stuff". I'm not sure if you'd be able to see more at 2 months, but oh well. ** 


	11. Chapter 11

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
Giles had spent the rest of the night in the Magic Box researching. There were dozens upon dozens of books spread across the table, open to various pages. But he could find nothing. There was nothing in any of these books that explained why, or rather how, a vampire could impregnate a Slayer. Giles had checked every book he could think of. The only other option was to contact the Council.  
  
'Oh yes that would go over smashingly,' he thought. 'Ah Giles, what brings you to ask us?' 'Well I would just like to know how exactly a vampire could get my Slayer pregnant. That'd be bloody spectacular.'  
  
After another short period of research, Giles decided to take a break. He went into the backroom and made himself a pot of tea. It wasn't until he looked at the clock on the coffee pot that he realized what time it really was.  
  
'7:52!' he thought, surprised. 'I should phone the others and tell them.'  
  
He made his way back out to the main store and picked up the phone behind the counter. He quickly dialed Willow and Tara's number and listened for several seconds while it rang.  
  
Willow was busy studying for a huge psych test she had next week when the phone rang.  
  
"You gonna get that?" Tara called from the bathroom.  
  
Willow heard the shower turn on, and figured that Tara wasn't going to get it. "Yea I got it." She pulled herself off of the bed and over to the phone. "Hello?" Willow asked.  
  
"Willow? It's Giles."  
  
"Giles, hey. What's up?"  
  
"It's Buffy." Giles said simply.  
  
"What's wrong?" Willow asked, her voice suddenly concerned.  
  
"She's fine, but she's been taken to the hospital."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"It's nothing serious." Giles assured her. "Could you meet us there in half an hour?"  
  
"University Hospital?"  
  
"Yes. I'm going to call Xander now."  
  
"We'll be there." Willow said and hung up.  
  
Giles put the phone down and picked it right back up. He thought for a moment then punched in Xander's number.  
  
"Anya, would you stop vacuuming?" Xander asked annoyed. "The carpet is only getting so clean."  
  
"I must vacuum though." Anya argued. "It's my American responsibility to keep a clean home and to give you many children."  
  
"Remind me to hide every book that was published before 1980." Xander laughed. Then the phone rang.  
  
"I'll get it." Anya jumped and ran towards the phone. "Harris residence, Anya speaking." She said into the phone. Xander just groaned and rolled his eyes. "Oh," Anya said in disappointment, "Xander, it's Giles." She tossed him the phone and went back to her cleaning.  
  
"Hey G-Man." Xander greeted Giles.  
  
"Xander I told you never to call me that." Giles warned.  
  
"Sorry, momentary memory lapse. What's happening?"  
  
"It's Buffy. She's been taken to University Hospital." He explained.  
  
"Oh my God, is she okay? What happened?" Xander's questions came a mile a minute.  
  
"She's fine, Xander." Giles said, trying to calm him down some. "We're all meeting over there in a half hour, can you be there?"  
  
"Of course," Xander said. "I'm grabbing the keys right now."  
  
"Good, I'll see you there."  
  
Xander hung up. "Anya!" he called until his girlfriend appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. "We gotta go, Buffy's been taken to the hospital."  
  
"Do we have to?" Anya asked; Xander stared at her like she had grown a second head.  
  
"What do you mean? Of course we do! It's Buffy!"  
  
"But, it's just that, hospitals are so depressing." Anya whined. "All those sickly people, they make me feel depressed."  
  
"Are you coming or not?" Xander asked angrily.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Anya said. She snatched her purse off the kitchen table and followed Xander out the door.  
  
Giles hung up the phone and let out a loud sigh. 'Well here we go.' He thought. 'I better get over there before everyone else does.' He left the books sitting where they were, and left the shop. He locked the door behind him and jumped behind the wheel of his red convertible.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked. Her body had almost gone into shock when the doctor told her she was having twins. 'I heard him wrong.' She thought. 'I had to hear him wrong. Twins?!'  
  
"You sure doc?" Spike asked, his eyes wider than golf balls.  
  
"Yes." The doctor replied. "Here," he pointed to the screen, "here is one and here's the other."  
  
Buffy watched the screen absently. She had no idea what she was looking at. Every thought of assurance she had had suddenly vacated her mind. The thought of one baby had been easy, well as easy as raising children could get. But two? At the same time! This was going to be harder than Buffy or Spike or even Dawn had ever thought.  
  
"Miss Summers?" the doctor asked.  
  
"Huh?" Buffy was suddenly snapped back to reality.  
  
"I think I'll just let you all a moment to ponder this all." He said. "As soon as the office gets your release forms cleared you'll be free to go. And I tell you, Miss Summers you should be visiting a doctor every month from now on. Gotta keep them little guys safe." He smiled at the crew and earned a smile back from Dawn, but no one else. The doctor wheeled to machine back out of the room and was gone.  
  
The room was cast into silence. Nobody really knew what they should say next.  
  
"So what now?" Dawn asked, breaking the awkward silence.  
  
"I don't know." Buffy admitted. "We need to call Giles."  
  
"I'll do it." Spike said. "Should I call the Magic Box or his flat?"  
  
"Try the Magic Box first and if he doesn't answer there call his place." Buffy answered. "And Spike?" she called before he could leave the room. "Thanks. For everything."  
  
"My pleasure." He flashed her a smile and left the room.  
  
Again there was a strange silence in the room as just the sisters were left alone.  
  
Once again Dawn was the one to break with silence with, "Look Buffy. I know this isn't what you planned on but this can still be a good thing." Upon the look from Buffy, Dawn continued. "Well you always say that you wish that I had someone to put me through all the things that I put you through. And.well.these kids, they're gonna be good for you.for us. When Spike took care of me, the summer that.the summer that you were gone." Both Buffy and Dawn cringed at the memory of the summer that Buffy had been dead. "He was.it was almost like mom was back. I know he'll be a great father. And you. Buffy you've been a mom for a while. You've been a wonderful mom to me, and these kids are lucky to have you."  
  
Buffy lay in her bed and looked up at Dawn. The girl she had always thought of as her annoying little sister, she now saw as a beautiful young woman. Dawn had just showed Buffy an enormous amount of maturity and love. Buffy couldn't believe that this was all happening, but knowing that she would always have Dawn's support made things a little easier.  
  
"Dawnie." Buffy whispered. She waved her sister over to the bed and wrapped her arms tightly around her. Dawn hugged her sister back tightly.  
  
"Buffy?" Giles asked as he entered the room. The sisters broke their embrace and looked to the doorway.  
  
"Giles, Spike just went to call you." Buffy said.  
  
"Must have just missed him." He said. "Uh Buffy, Tara, Willow, Xander, and Anya are on their way over here."  
  
"What? Giles, I don't.I don't want to tell them. Not yet." Buffy said.  
  
"Well I didn't say anything," Giles assured her. "But I figured that if they found out without one of us telling them, it would be a worse situation."  
  
"Good thinking." Buffy said.  
  
"Buffy I could reach the Watcher." Spike said as he came into the room. "Oh, well that was a bloody waste of time."  
  
"Hello to you too Spike." Giles smirked.  
  
"Ugh, Giles?" Buffy said with a shaky voice. "There's a little bit more news you need to hear."  
  
"What?" Giles asked, preparing himself for the worst while praying for the best. "Is the b-baby okay?" He could hardly bring himself to say the word. It still hadn't fully hit Giles that Buffy was pregnant. And with Spike's child non the less.  
  
"The baby is fine." Buffy said placing a hand gently on her stomach. "It's just that.well.this is bigger than we realized."  
  
"Buffy, what are you talking about?" Giles questioned her, his face twisted with uncertainty.  
  
"Well.umm."Buffy stumbled. 'Why is this so hard?' she thought bitterly. 'I've already told him I'm pregnant what's the big deal?'  
  
"She's talking about twins." Spike finished before Buffy had a chance to speak again.  
  
"Thanks Spike." Buffy said with fake enthusiasm.  
  
"What?" Giles asked again.  
  
"It's true, Giles." Buffy confirmed. "The doctor gave me a sonogram this morning and he said there were twins."  
  
"Twins like.two babies.not just one." Dawn offered.  
  
"Thanks I got that Dawn." Giles said. "Well no matter what Buffy, we'll get through this."  
  
"Yes, we will." Buffy said looking at Dawn. 


	12. Chapter 12

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
Tara and Willow were the first to arrive at the hospital. The fact that they lived only 15 minutes away was a great factor; also because they both ran the whole way there.  
  
"Where is she?" Willow asked as she came to the front desk.  
  
"Where is who, ma'am?" the receptionist asked, confused.  
  
"A patient here." Tara explained, much calmer than Willow. "Buffy Summers?"  
  
The young woman looked at a computer screen in front of her. She punched a few keys then turned back to Tara and Willow. "Room 244. Take the elevator to the second floor and get off. Down the hallway to the left, it's the last room on your right."  
  
"Thanks." Willow muttered as she and Tara took off down the hall.  
  
"Willow?" Tara ventured once they were in the elevator. "Why are we running? I mean Giles s-said that Buffy was fine."  
  
"I know what he said." Willow said. "But Buffy's never been hurt bad enough to be in the hospital."  
  
"I thought she was in the hospital once before though?"  
  
"Well yeah." Willow corrected herself. "But she was sick with the flu and the only reason she stayed was because her made her."  
  
The doors opened before and both witches exited the elevator. They turned left and walked down the hallway to the last door on their right, just as the receptionist had instructed.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow called and knocked on the door before entering.  
  
"Yea." Buffy called back.  
  
Both Tara and Willow went in the room. "How are you?" Willow asked her best friend.  
  
"I'm fine. Except that I almost killed Giles for calling you guys." Buffy shot a look at Giles, who was stationed in the back of the room next to Dawn.  
  
"No." Willow said. "I'm glad he called us." She moved beside Buffy's bed leaving Tara at the foot. "Buffy, if you were seriously hurt."  
  
"I wasn't." she interrupted Willow. "This demon thing, it just hit me hard. And I haven't been feeling all that great lately. I guess he just took me down."  
  
"The doctor said everyone was fine." Dawn blurted.  
  
"Everyone?" Tara asked confused.  
  
Dawn looked at Giles with wide eyes, pleading for help. "Everyone meaning Buffy and Spike. He's the one that brought her in." Giles lied.  
  
"Yeah." Dawn chimed in, trying desperately to cover up her mistake.  
  
"Well we're just glad you're okay." Willow said, her eyes focusing on Buffy. They were deep with concern and sympathy.  
  
"I told you I'm fine." Buffy said. She studied Willow's face to make sure she was believing her.  
  
"W-what happened?" Tara asked.  
  
"Spike and I were on patrol," Buffy began explaining.  
  
"Spike?" Willow asked.  
  
"He found the demon." Buffy supplied; Tara nodded in acknowledgement. "Anyway," she continued, "we got into a major fight and I guess the thing just took me down."  
  
"Well how'd you make it to the hospital?" Tara asked.  
  
"Spike brought me in." Buffy said. "Actually I think he's still around here somewhere."  
  
"I'll go find him." Dawn volunteered. She weaved through the people assembled in the room and out into the hall. As Dawn was leaving, Xander and Anya made it to the room.  
  
"Oh man Buffy, are you okay?" Xander asked, rushing to the side of the bed opposite Willow.  
  
"I wish people would stop asking me that." Buffy sighed. "I'm fine, I should be getting out of here any minute."  
  
"What happened?" Xander asked. Buffy rolled her eyes and dramatically dropped her head back on the pillow.  
  
"Demon, fight, Spike, hospital, ready to go home." Willow said, quickly bringing both Xander and Anya up to speed.  
  
"Spike?" Anya asked, curious. "How does Spike fit into the mix?"  
  
"He's the one that brought her here." Tara added.  
  
"Oh," Xander sighed. "Well where's Deadboy Jr. now?"  
  
"Xander." Dawn warned as she came trotting back in the hospital room, Spike in tow.  
  
"Yeah, whelp." Spike snapped. "I don't much like that name."  
  
"Spike." Buffy whispered with a broad smile across her face.  
  
"What's the what luv?" Spike asked, moving beside Xander. "How ya feeling?"  
  
"I'm fine!" she shouted, earning looks from everyone else in the room.  
  
"Well I met the doc in the hallway," Spike said. Buffy's face immediately lit up. "He said you're good to go anytime."  
  
"Finally." She sighed in exasperation. Buffy swung her legs over the side of the bed to reveal a fully clothed Buffy.  
  
"When did you dress?" Giles asked removing his glasses and cleaning them.  
  
"Well I figured as soon I got word I could leave I would want to be out of here, so when you went back to the Magic Box and Spike and Dawn went for food I got dressed." She explained as she leaned over and slid on her boots, zipping them up the side. "Okay," Buffy said as she stood up, "let's go."  
  
The people that left the hospital room was more than anyone ever thought you could fit in. Buffy walked down the hall to the nurses' station and practically signed her life away, but at last she was free.  
  
"So what are we thinking?" Willow addressed the group as Buffy filled out yet another form. "We reconvening at the Magic Box?"  
  
"We could always head to the Bronze tonight." Xander suggested.  
  
"I like the Bronze." Anya said evenly. "They have loud music, sticky floors, and cheap drinks. It's the ideal place for America's youth to spend their lives."  
  
"Yes," Giles said taking charge of the group, "well it's up to Buffy."  
  
"Why don't we just crash at the house?" Buffy said handing a clipboard and pen back to the receptionist.  
  
"Alright." Dawn said, quickly becoming excited. "We can have a party. A Buffy's Coming Home party."  
  
"Niblet," Spike said wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "she was only gone for a night. Not really celebration worthy."  
  
Dawn looked up at Spike with wide eyes. Spike knew what she wanted to celebrate, but since there were only four people that knew about it thus far, it wouldn't be much of a celebration.  
  
"Here you go Miss Summers," the receptionist said, breaking the conversation. She handed Buffy a small pack of papers she was to give to her insurance company. "Give these to the lady at the front desk on your way out and she can send them to your insurance for you."  
  
"Thanks," Buffy said flashing the young woman a warm smile.  
  
"You're free to go," she said. "I hope you and the twins are very happy and stay healthy."  
  
Everyone froze. Buffy looked up at Spike, Dawn, and Giles, a frightened look across her face. She looked as she had just seen a ghost, only a ghost really wouldn't have scared her that much. Dawn's eyes were huge; like a cartoon characters. Spike looked like he was ready to split. Giles, of course, was cleaning his glasses.  
  
However, Xander, Willow, Tara, and Anya were staring at Buffy with blank experiences. None of them knew exactly what the hell was going on.  
  
"Buff?" Xander ventured, finally breaking the incredibly awkward silence. But Buffy didn't answer.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow asked.  
  
The nauseous feeling in Buffy's stomach had returned. She felt the need to run into the bathroom and never come out again. Everything was coming out into the open and it was not when or where Buffy had planned.  
  
"Well this is awkward." Anya said. Xander looked at her and she gave him her 'what did I say?' face.  
  
"Perhaps we should discuss this in a more, uh, private place?" Giles suggested, momentarily freeing Buffy.  
  
"Back at the house." Buffy said weakly. And without another word, she turned and walked away. 


	13. Chapter 13

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
The sun was low in the California sky, painting it with a pallet of oranges, reds, and yellows. A few seagulls had flown in from the coast and were currently perched on the roof of the Sun Cinema. All of their eyes moved with Buffy as she passed them.  
  
She'd been walking aimlessly around Sunnydale for almost half an hour. Not being able to bare going home, she visited every street.  
  
'This isn't happening.' She thought, her body shook with fear and cold. 'It just can't happen this way. None of them will understand. I just can't deal with this right now.'  
  
A convertible full of screaming teenagers sped past Buffy, sending a slight breeze her way. She let the wind whip her hair around, not caring anymore. All she knew was that she couldn't go home, not yet. Buffy turned down yet another darkened alley looking for anything, dead or undead, to take her mind off of the situation that awaited her at home.  
  
"Where is she?" Willow asked, pacing back and forth across the living room.  
  
"Honey I'm sure she'll be here any minute." Tara comforted her anxious girlfriend. "She's probably just trying to.uh."  
  
"Spike went to find her." Dawn explained. "If anyone can get her to come back, it's Spike."  
  
Xander looked at Dawn for a moment, noticing the way she seemed to be glowing with happiness. "Dawnster? What's up?"  
  
"What?" Dawn jumped. "N-nothing." Dawn looked around the room and noticed that everyone was staring at her; Tara and Willow, Xander and Anya, even Giles was watching her. "What?" she asked again.  
  
"There's nothing to discuss." Giles said rising from the couch and strolling over to the front door.  
  
"The receptionist said." Xander started but couldn't bring himself to finish.  
  
The awkward silence demon chose then to make its presence known. Everyone stared at each other not knowing what to say, or what to do for that matter. The tension in the room was so thick that you could wade through it.  
  
"She'll be here." Dawn said, more to herself than anyone else. "She'll come back." But in the back of her mind, Dawn had a feeling that Buffy might not be coming back. 'This is the perfect time for her and Spike to run off. They've got kids on the way, and don't need to be in a town filled with demons and sacred duties and younger siblings.' Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but Dawn choked them back, putting forth her strong face for the Scoobies to see. She couldn't let them know that she had any doubt within her.  
  
Spike had been out looking for almost an hour and still no sign of Buffy. He never thought of Sunnydale as a big town until he had to find one person in the endless alleyways, cemeteries, crypts, and regular supernatural haunts. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, only that would have been much simpler.  
  
'She's ashamed.' Spike concluded as he search an alley that he was sure he had already been down. 'She's ashamed of our relationship and now she wants to hide it. Now that her mates know about her.our,' he mentally corrected himself, 'children, she's going to run and hide. Probably do something stupid and foolish.' Although he tried to suppress the feelings, Spike was becoming gradually angry at Buffy instead of worried about her. Deep down he knew that it was all just nerves but he couldn't ignore that little nagging voice in the back of his head.  
  
'She doesn't love you. She was just using you for a good lay.' The little voice sang. Spike couldn't help but notice that the voice sounded an awful lot like Drusilla.  
  
"She does love me." Spike said out loud. It wasn't that he was talking to anyone in particular, although a few people passing by did throw glances his way, but he needed to hear it said aloud for the reassurance on his own behalf.  
  
'Has she ever said it?' the voice chimed in.  
  
Spike stopped in mid step. It hit him like a ton of brick and hurt just as bad. Buffy had never admitted that she loved him. He had said it time and time again, but she had never returned the gesture. In all their time together, all the lovemaking, never once had she said it.  
  
"Bloody hell," Spike muttered beneath his breath. "Chit's got me worked into a soddin' ponce and she doesn't even love me?"  
  
'I told you.' The voice mocked him, laughing. Spike could almost see Dru standing in front of him laughing at him and the pathetic excuse for a demon that he had become.  
  
Spike's spirits sunk. Everything seemed to be falling down around him. Suddenly he didn't care anymore; didn't care whether he found Buffy or not.  
  
'She doesn't love you, so why are you chasing after her like a little lost puppy without a master. She's controlling you.' The voice squeaked, suddenly sounding very powerful; like the commanding officer of an army.  
  
"No she doesn't." Spike said aloud. He had every intention of turning around, gathering his things and leaving town when he heard it-a baby laughing.  
  
The sound made Spike's heart melt. He looked out the mouth of the alley to see a young couple walking down the street, the woman pushing a stroller. Spike jogged to the end of the alley and looked in the direction that the couple had disappeared.  
  
There they were, standing in front of the Espresso Pump. The woman had picked up the baby and was holding her over her shoulder. The little girl had the biggest green eyes Spike had ever seen and a three-toothed smile to match.  
  
If Spike's heart had been beating it would have stopped at the sight. Suddenly everything became clear. He was going to find Buffy, take her home, and be with her throughout thick and thin even if she didn't want him there.  
  
'You're making a huge mistake.' The voice urged him. 'She'll never accept you, and what will it do to the children? Think about it!'  
  
"Oh shut up!" Spike yelled, earning a glance from the couple and a few teenage girls passing by. The girls giggled and flashed Spike their best smiles. He took off at a dead sprint down the all but deserted street. He was going to find her whether she wanted to be found or not.  
  
Buffy had been walking around Sunnydale for nearly an hour and half, not getting past the city limits. She knew her life would probably be a lot easier if she could just bring herself to leave town, but she couldn't. Buffy knew the minute she stepped passed that 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign; her mind would race with questions. Are her friends all right? Where could she go? What about Spike?  
  
Turning down a side road she found herself back on Main Street. Buffy watched as Spike went running in the opposite direction that she had come.  
  
'He's out looking for me.' She thought proudly. 'He really does care.' Without hesitation, or even another thought as to why, Buffy took off after Spike.  
  
'What am I doing?' she thought as she rounded the corner. She could see him a block ahead of her, leather duster flying behind him. Buffy couldn't run any farther. She suddenly found herself feeling nauseous. "Spike" she screamed, hoping to catch his attention. It worked.  
  
Spike stopped immediately. He turned around to see Buffy leaning against a building, panting. "Finally," he sighed reaching to her. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick."  
  
"We?" Buffy asked weakly.  
  
"Bit, the Watcher, the Wiccas, the Whelp, heck even Demon Girl was scared." Spike chuckled at the thought of Anya pacing the living room, a worried expression plastered to her face.  
  
"I couldn't." Buffy started, but couldn't find the right words. "I just couldn't go through with this."  
  
"Slayer," Spike started in his sympathetic voice.  
  
"No, you don't get it." Buffy yelled, tears swelling behind her eyes. "I can't go back there Spike."  
  
"Pet, you have to-" Spike attempted to console but Buffy pushed him away.  
  
"No." she said strongly. "If I go back there.I'll have to face them all; all their glaring and whispering. I just can't do this."  
  
"What do you want to do?" Spike asked her, trying to remain calm.  
  
"Can't we just run away? To some place without slaying and without night. Where it's just a nice sunny place without responsibilities and sacred duty and the whole lot?"  
  
"Well, if there's no night, I wouldn't last long." Spike said with a grin. Buffy couldn't help but smile. "See I knew I could at least get a grin outta ya." Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist and pulled her into him. Surprisingly she didn't push back. Instead, Buffy laid her head on his shoulder and concentrated on the feeling of Spike's hand gently stroking her back. "We can't get around this on Buffy." Spike explained. "You're going to have to go home eventually. And I'll be right there by your side."  
  
Buffy raised her head and looked up at him. "Promise?" she asked after a long pause of just looking into his eyes.  
  
"Cross my heart, hope to die." Spike teased.  
  
Buffy giggled and swatted his chest playfully. "You're already dead, Fang breath."  
  
"Yeah, well," Spike laughed, "it's the thought that counts, right?"  
  
"Yeah." Buffy said softly, laying her head back on Spike's shoulder. They stood like that for a long time; The Slayer and The Slayer of Slayers. They just held each other.  
  
"Giles is probably worried sick." Buffy finally said after what seemed like an eternity of silence.  
  
"No more than Bit is." Spike said pulling away from her and looking down at her face. "Shall we get you home?"  
  
Buffy sighed, she really didn't want to face the firing squad yet, but she knew it was now or never. "We shall."  
  
With his arm still around Buffy's waist, and her head on his shoulder, they turned and walked in the direction of Revello Drive. 


	14. Chapter 14

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
Dawn was the first to greet Buffy and Spike as they came in the Summers' home.  
  
"Buffy." Dawn cried, throwing herself at her older sister. "God, I was so scared. Please don't ever do that again."  
  
"I'm sorry, Dawnie." Buffy apologized, hugging her sister tightly, "I just needed some time."  
  
"I know." Dawn said. "I get that, and I tried to hold the fort down, but they're getting rowdy in there."  
  
Buffy looked into the living room to see all her friends staring at her intently. She felt like turning around and running back out into the night and never coming back. Running somewhere--preferably some place that wasn't a Hellmouth; a place where demons and vampires existed only in books.  
  
Spike saw the look in her eyes. "No, no more running. It's now or never pet." He said taking Buffy's arm and hauling her into the living room.  
  
"How about never? Never sounds good to me." Buffy whispered just low enough for Spike to pick up. He grinned slightly, but kept dragging her forward.  
  
"Buffy are you alright?" Giles asked, a fatherly tone to his voice.  
  
"I'm fine." Buffy lied. Her stomach was doing enough flip-flops to qualify for the Olympic gymnastics team. With a final nod from Spike, Buffy sat herself down in the middle of the couch, forcing Giles to stand next to Dawn in her chair.  
  
Spike looked from Buffy to Dawn, back to Buffy and then to Giles. Satisfied that the people that knew their secret were ready, he sat down next to Buffy and took her hand in his, discretely.  
  
Buffy felt his larger, cold hand grasping her and it sent a chill up her spine. Never before had it hit her just how cold his touch really was. It reminded Buffy of ice or a wiping wind full of snow. But there was certain warmth behind it, maybe because of everything she had told him and he had told her, or maybe because of everything he had given her in the past, but whatever it was the feeling caused Buffy to relax momentarily.  
  
"Buff what's going on?" Xander asked, gesturing to their adjoined hands. "What's up with you and Captain Peroxide?"  
  
"Xander," Willow warned her best friend. "Buffy is something happening?"  
  
Buffy looked at Willow; she sat on one of the chair adjacent to the couch, girlfriend perched loyally on the chair's arm. Her eyes searched Willow's looking for the girl she knew once upon a time, the Willow that understood everything and was always there to help in any way possible.  
  
"I'm.I'm." Buffy stumbled. 'I can't do this.' She thought hopelessly, 'I'm choking.' Spike gave her hand a gentle squeeze as if to remind her that he was still there, that he wouldn't leave her like the others had. Buffy took a deep breath and gathered her courage, 'you can do this Summers. You're the Slayer for Christ's sake!' With one final look around the room, Buffy finally just blurted, "I'm pregnant."  
  
Then came the silence. Anyone who thinks that silence is peaceful, an escape, clearly wasn't in that room. Suddenly Buffy found her shoes to be incredibly interesting. She avoided looking at anyone except Spike. She peered into those deep sapphire eyes and what she saw there changed her forever. His eyes literally screamed with love, trust, and compassion. It seemed weird to her, but at that moment Buffy knew that Spike was going to be a great father.  
  
"What?" Xander asked tearing Buffy from her happy thoughts. "Buffy how did.how?"  
  
"Well you see when two people sleep together, the egg and the sperm join together and form a baby and then." Anya explained before she was cut off.  
  
"That's not what he meant." Willow said in an even voice. With a steady gaze, she looked over to her best friend. "Who?" she asked after a long moment. Willow already knew the answer, she had seen Buffy sneaking out to meet Spike numerous times, and even saw them making out under the tree in the front yard, she was still permanently scared after walking in on them in the training room of the Magic Box. Luckily that hadn't seen her, but she would be in therapy for the next thirty years. She had never told anyone, and no one ever found out she knew. For some reason though, she wanted Buffy to admit it, to herself and to everyone else.  
  
Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat, 'This is the clincher,' she thought to herself. Gathering every last nerve she had, Buffy looked directly at Xander and said, "Spike."  
  
You would have thought that Buffy had just told Xander he was the father. His eyes grew about three times their normal size, and his face went a ghostly white.  
  
"But how can.I mean Spike can't.um.can you?" Willow stammered trying desperately to understand this.  
  
"We're not sure." Buffy explained.  
  
"But you've been sleeping t-together?" Tara asked hiding her face behind the curtain of hair she so frequently sought shelter beneath.  
  
Buffy looked at Spike, he squeezed her hand tightly, giving her a boost of nerve. "Y-yes."  
  
"Well that's pretty obvious." Anya blurted earning confused looks from everyone, excluding Xander who was too busy staring at the floor. "It's just that every time you came into the Magic Box after one of your little 'adventures'," she used sarcastic quote marks making Dawn snicker, "you always looked so flushed. It was clear that you were suffering from post- orgasmic-flush. Your face was always so red."  
  
The silence. It was back. But this time it was not because everyone was in the dark, because now they all knew. No, this silence was meant for contemplation, to take everything that had just been given to them and arrange it in a sensible way. It was like a jigsaw puzzle that needed to be put together.  
  
Buffy glanced at each of her friends in turn, gnawing on her bottom lip. She knew in general that most of them wouldn't say anything and eventually accept it. But there was one person that Buffy was worried about and that person was Xander. Everyone knew he was going to flip, and tried to mentally prepare themselves for the volcanic eruption.  
  
Tara decided not to wait for Xander's reaction. She picked herself up off the arm of the chair and walked to Buffy, throwing her arms around the girl. "Congratulations Buffy." She whispered in her ear and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.  
  
Buffy rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around Tara, thankful that the waiting was over. She had almost worn a hole through her lip. "Thank you." Buffy said just above a whisper. Willow joined them in an embrace, quickly adding Dawn and Anya.  
  
Giles shook Spike's hand like a father congratulating his new son-in-law. Though he would never admit it, Giles had come to rather enjoy Spike's company. But under his breath he threatened, "Hurt her and I'll stake you myself." Spike should have been scared, but seeing the look in the Watcher's eyes, made Spike understand where he was coming from. Buffy made everyone around her seem to want to protect her.  
  
Dawn, Tara, and Willow backed away from Buffy, giving her some room to breathe. Everyone turned to look at Xander when a quiet laugh began. It grew louder and louder until it transformed into hysterical laughter.  
  
"I'm sorry," Xander apologized between fits, "it's just that it's so funny. I mean clearly Buffy's playing a joke on us. Right Buff?" Everyone looked at Xander like he had grown another head.  
  
"Xander."  
  
"Oh God," he sighed, the reality hitting him at full force. "It just can't be.you.you slept with Spike?"  
  
"Hey." Spike defended himself.  
  
"Oh no," Xander warned him, "You don't get to defend yourself. You knock up my friend and think you can just waltz in here expecting me to be okay with this?!"  
  
"Xander!" Buffy yelled. Spike moved to her side and took her hand in his.  
  
"You know what Whelp?" he said in an extremely pissed off tone. "Notice she's not pulling away from me. Must mean she's not entirely disgusted with me. So you've got problems you need to just deal with them!"  
  
"This isn't happening." Xander said, trying to convince himself more than anything else. He got up off the chair he was sitting on and stormed to the door.  
  
"Xander where are you going?" Anya asked.  
  
"Anywhere but here." He said and stomped out the door, slamming it behind him.  
  
Although Buffy had anticipated that Xander was going to freak, she still felt herself being torn apart. He was her best friend, and his opinion was important. She knew she shouldn't care so much; it wasn't like she could forget about the problem and go on with her life. There were only seven months before her little problem became a real life miracle.  
  
"Buffy." Spike ventured noticing a small tear appear in Buffy's eye.  
  
"No, I'm fine." She said jerking her hand away from his and swiftly wiped the stray drop away. "It's just.I need to be alone right now." Feeling the tears welling up, Buffy pushed through her friends and made her way through the kitchen and out to the back porch.  
  
"Should someone.go with her?" Willow asked shyly.  
  
"No, I think she needs some time." Giles said, removing his glasses and cleaning them thoroughly with a handkerchief from his pocket. "I think it best if we all just came back tomorrow."  
  
"Agreed." Tara said staring off towards the kitchen. "Just give her some space, I'm sure she'll come around."  
  
"Let's hope so." Willow whispered.  
  
Dawn silently crept down the steps, avoiding those that squeaked when stepped on. As she hit the bottom, Dawn peered into the living room, making sure she hadn't woken anyone up. Sure enough he was still asleep.  
  
Spike had decided to crash on the Summers' couch for the night when everyone else went home. Said he wanted to be there in case Buffy needed him. But Dawn knew that he couldn't bring himself to leave her.  
  
Stepping passed the doorway and crossing to the kitchen Dawn thought she was out of trouble. She strode gracefully to the back door without a care.  
  
"Don't even think about it Niblet." Spike said shutting the refrigerator door.  
  
"Spike!" Dawn cried jumping back from the door. "Geez, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Well I was sleeping, but my soddin stomach wouldn't stop growling. Where's your sis keep the blood around here?"  
  
"It's in the back behind the kool-aid." Dawn said turning around and grabbing the doorknob again.  
  
"I believe I said no Bit." Spike said, not looking up from the fridge.  
  
"But she's been out there all night." Dawn whined. "Someone should check on her."  
  
"She wants space." Spike explained pulling out a pint of blood. He bit into the package and downed it in one gulp. "We should just let her go."  
  
"But." Dawn started.  
  
"No buts pet." Spike threw the packing away and came over to Dawn. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders like an older brother would, and led her into the living room. Spike sat her down on the couch and took a seat on the coffee table opposite her. "Listen, for some strange reason big sis needs to have the Whelp's okay. And she's not going to be happy until she has that. I personally couldn't care whether Xander is okay or not. S'not like he can change it."  
  
"Would you change it? If you could?" Dawn asked sheepishly, bowing her head and dropping her eyes to the floor, afraid to know the answer.  
  
"Little Bit." Spike moved from the coffee table and took a seat next to Dawn. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "I love your sis. And she knows that, somewhere deep down, she knows it. And I'll be damned if I let Xander come between that. These kids.our kids.they're going to be good for me, for all of us." Dawn nodded silently in agreement laying her head on Spike's shoulder. "Sure it's gonna be tough, but you know.we're living on a bloody Hellmouth, what part of life isn't tough? But we're gonna get through this."  
  
Dawn felt herself drifting off to sleep as Spike talked. She knew he was trying to calm his own nerves as well as hers. Dawn shut her eyes and concentrated on the even flow of Spike's voice, never raising nor falling, always a steady tempo.  
  
'I could listen to him talk all night.' Was her last coherent thought before sleep engulfed her and thrust her into the land of dreams.  
  
"Night Niblet." Spike whispered when he felt her heart rate slow and muscles relax. He gently picked her up and took her upstairs to her, kissing her temple as he laid her in her own bed and covered her. Spike shut the door as quietly as possible and leaned against the wall just outside her room. "Now off to deal with big sis." 


	15. Chapter 15

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
** Author's Notes: Ok this is just the cute chapter that everyone wanted. It's chock full of Spuffy sweetness! **  
  
Another routine patrol, another routine slaying of routine vampires, another routine night. Spike felt himself being thrown into a bottomless rut; one filled with vampires and demons, and midnight cravings for salt- water taffy and coffee flavored ice cream. He already knew the man that worked nightshift at the corner market very well; knew every detail of his childhood, his first, second and even third marriages, and every job he ever held.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Spike groaned as he took a swift kick to the stomach from a cocky fledgling he'd been brawling with the last ten minutes.  
  
"You thought I'd be a push over, didn't you?" the newly fanged demon taunted Spike enjoying the workout. "Thought you could get a few kicks and punches in and that would be the end." He punctuated the last word with a hard kick to Spike's side, earning a howl out of the older vampire.  
  
"Don't underestimate me." Spike growled pulling himself to his feet.  
  
"And why not?" the fledgling asked. Before Spike could even think of an answer, a stake plunged through his opponent's chest from behind, turning the demon into nothing more than a pile of dust that was promptly blown away by the wind. Giles stood where the vampire had been only seconds before.  
  
"Are you all right Spike?" He asked stepping forward.  
  
"No thanks to you." Spike huffed attempting to brush the dust and mud off his precious duster. "Waited long enough didn't you? That vamp had me down and was having a bloody good time kicking the shit outta me."  
  
"I was just, um, waiting for the right moment." Giles stumbled trying to come up with a good excuse.  
  
"And that move would be what, exactly?" Spike asked, slightly annoyed. "Waiting for him to pull out the super soaker filled with Holy Water?" He didn't wait for the older man's response, stalking away in the opposite direction. "How long exactly before the Slayer can get her ass out here again?"  
  
"Spike," Giles groaned having to visit this conversation again, "Buffy is almost six months pregnant, we can't have her out here attempting to thwart the demonic population of Sunnydale. It's not safe."  
  
"And leaving me in a house with two hormonal women all day is?" Spike asked trying to be serious but a sly grin broke through still.  
  
"Buffy and Dawn still giving you a hard time?" Giles asked, hefting a large battle-ax over his shoulder and falling into step beside Spike.  
  
"Let's just say it's a good thing I don't sleep at night."  
  
"What?" Giles asked, confused.  
  
"Slayer sends me out for something different every night. One night she sent me for Barbeque Chips, a latte, and sweet and sour chicken. That's just gross, even for a creature of darkness." Spike laughed thinking about his nightly adventures. "And Niblet, she's worse. Every time there's a spider or a bug in the house she calls on me. Cause apparently she's afraid of them or some such nonsense. The way she screams, you'd think there was a Ragnah demon ripping her to shreds and eating her insides."  
  
Giles grimaced at the lovely mental picture that Spike had just painted him, shaking his head to rid himself of the appalling image, he continued. "Well you just have to remember, it'll all be over in 3 months or so." he tried to reassure Spike.  
  
"Yea, at least then I'll have one guy in the house with me, even if he is just a tiny thing." Spike stopped suddenly and stared off to the left.  
  
Giles hadn't noticed and walked four or five steps ahead before he realized that his vampire accomplice wasn't beside him. Turning around he noticed that Spike was frozen in place, staring into a space hidden by a mausoleum. "Spike?"  
  
"Shhh!" Spike silenced him, crouching beside the old crypt and peering around it.  
  
Giles moved swiftly so he was kneeling on the ground beside him. "What is it?" He whispered before he saw them.  
  
About fifty feet ahead, in a clearing behind a small group of tombstones stood a rather large group of.well.figures that appeared to be human. There must have been at least thirty, maybe more, forming a wide circle around a peculiar statue. They were on their knees bowing, but the few that were inside the circle joined hands to form a rough circle around the said statue, eyes turned towards the sky, chanting something below their breath.  
  
"What the.?" Spike mumbled inching forward just a bit.  
  
"Spike, don't move." Giles scolded him. "We don't know what they are or what they're capable of."  
  
"And the best way to find out is to go in and join in the fun." He dropped to a low crouch and crawled out from behind the mausoleum, quickly taking shelter behind one of the larger tombstones. Giles made a move to follow him, but Spike gestured for him to stay back. Moving like a cat, Spike was quickly close enough to hear their words.  
  
".God of the Privileged, God of All, hear our cry for justice!" one of them cried, "The sacrificial night draws nearer and our freedom is in our grasp! Oh Zaranah, we worship thee with much gratitude for our wealth. Come and join us in our preparations!"  
  
Spike watched closely as the people forming the inner circle began to chant while the outer circle continued bowing. A quiet chanting began and grew louder and louder with every verse.  
  
"Two of that two, that never should be. Two of the two, the ones we need. Two of the two, shall set us free!"  
  
For some reason the words, the whole scene before him, sent chills down Spike's back. His game face slid into view and now Spike could see every detail. He took in every crease and scar of their faces and made a mental note of the location. Moving back, still in a crouch, Spike was greeted by the outstretched hand of Giles, helping him to his feet.  
  
"What was that all about?" Giles inclined looking past Spike at the retreating figures.  
  
"Not sure," Spike admitted picking up the stake he had dropped before he left to investigate, "but it looks like we've got some more bloody research ahead." he grumbled beneath his breath and joined Giles as they hurried out of the cemetery toward the Magic Box.  
  
The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky. The news had called for scattered showers all day for southern California, but that clearly wasn't the case in Sunnydale. It was a beautiful day, and much warmer than the average April day. It was a welcome change to all, but there were some things that never change.  
  
Once again the gang was gathered at the Magic Box, each of their noses buried in ancient, dusty books. While Willow, Tara, and Giles were hard at work researching the newest cult to hit Sunnydale, Xander sat on the couch listening to Dawn ramble on and on about a new boy at school that was, as she put it, "a nice hunk of meat". Anya had made a fast-food run to get everyone something to refuel them, and Buffy and Spike were in the back room talking.  
  
"So how was patrol last night?" Buffy asked as Spike threw a few punches at the hanging bag.  
  
"Other than the robed wonders, nothing new." He huffed, landing a kick to the side of the bag. "Oh yeah and the Watcher nearly let my ass get staked by a fledgling."  
  
"Ah, William the Bloody being taken down by a newby." Buffy laughed. "Something I never thought I'd hear. You used to be such a bad ass now look at you."  
  
"Well what can I say?" Spike asked swaying seductively toward Buffy. "I've been housebroken." He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and rested his palm against her stomach. "And how are my dears this morning?"  
  
Although she was just under six months along, Buffy's stomach had grown to a fairly nice sized swell. Spike told her it was because she didn't eat nearly enough, and now forced her to eat three large meals a day. It had also become a ritual every morning that Spike would kiss her on the cheek and say good morning to the twins.  
  
"They're just fine." Buffy smiled feeling his cold hand pressing against her skin. "Are you finished here?"  
  
"Yeah," Spike answered unwrapping the tape from his hands, "let's go."  
  
Buffy turned and walked out the door immediately greeted by Willow.  
  
"Hey," the cheery redhead called, "how are you?"  
  
"Just dandy." Buffy's face was lit up by a great smile.  
  
"And how are we?" Willow asked crouching in front of her best friend and patting her stomach playfully. "How are Toby and Alexa today?"  
  
"Will," Buffy grumbled trying to hide her smile, "you know those aren't their names."  
  
"Oh they are." Willow smiled standing back up. "They love them don't you?"  
  
"There's no way in soddin' hell that my boy is going to be called Toby." Spike growled stepping out of the training room. "It's a bloody ponce's name."  
  
"His name is going to be William." Buffy stared down at the bulge in her abdomen and smiled, tracing tiny circles on it with her fingertips. "We already decided on William. William Andrew."  
  
"And the girl?" Tara asked from the table.  
  
"You know, Willow is an exceptional name." Will tried to pass off, with a grin. Buffy merely smiled and shook her head.  
  
"Oh can I tell?" Dawn asked excitedly. She jumped up off the couch almost plowing over Willow to get to Buffy and Spike.  
  
Buffy looked back at Spike then to Dawn. Her sister's face was full of excitement and pride. "She did come up with it." Buffy whispered back to Spike.  
  
"Go head Bit." Spike said.  
  
"Okay," Dawn addressed the group, "the names are William Andrew and Audra Lynn." Dawn stood proudly in front of the Scoobies awaiting their approval.  
  
"I like them." Xander finally piped up. It had taken Xander almost a full month to full accept that Buffy was pregnant and Spike was the father. But now he had not only accepted it, but also embraced it fully. He once told Buffy, "Anything I can do, don't hesitate to ask."  
  
"Very lovely." Giles flashed Buffy a bright smile and went back to his book. "Although I still think Rupert would have been an excellent choice." He muttered under his breath.  
  
Buffy moved to the table and took a seat next to Tara. "So what do we have in the way of the creepy cult thingies?" She picked up one of the bigger books and began to flip through the pages.  
  
"Buffy what are you doing?" Giles asked eyebrows raised.  
  
"I'm helping with the research." She explained. "Since I can't do the field work anymore, I need to feel useful." She began looking through the book and got no more than five pages before a puzzled look spread across her face. "I have absolutely no idea how to do research." She admitted bitterly shoving the book away.  
  
"It's quite all right." Giles comforted her. "We have this covered."  
  
"So what do we know, Watcher?" Spike asked hoisting himself up onto the counter. He knew Giles despised it when he did that, but that only made Spike do it more often.  
  
"Well from the information you supplied, if it is correct." Giles began before he was cut off.  
  
"Hey," Spike came to his own defense, "my mind is better than anyone's here and I've been dead for 160 years. Still crystal clear up here." He tapped the top of his platinum head.  
  
"Yes, well," Giles began again, "from what we've found, they're called the Guild of Zaranah. They were a reigning cult throughout Europe in the early fifth century, worshiping Zaranah, savior of the damned. There was rumor that they were extinct."  
  
"I think it's safe to say they're not." Xander joked, earning a grin from Dawn.  
  
"Quite," Giles agreed. He was about to elaborate when the bell above the Magic shop's door jingled happily with the arrival of Anya.  
  
"I've got loads of greasy, fatty goodness!" she announced.  
  
"All right," Xander cheered, "Food!" He jumped off the couch and raced over to his girlfriend, grabbing one of the many bags out of her arms. He opened it quickly and explored the contents. "Chicken nuggets, French fries, and B-B-Q sauce.Dawn." He tossed the bag across the room to the youngest Scooby who was eagerly awaiting it.  
  
"Willow," Anya thrust a bag at the red headed witch, a look of disgust on her face.  
  
"What?" Willow asked taking the bag and looking through it.  
  
"You got a zucchini burger?" Tara asked innocently, looking to her girlfriend. "Honey that's.well.weird."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with zucchini."  
  
"Spike, I stopped at the butcher's and got you the freshest blood they had." Spike jumped off the counter and strolled over to Anya, who handed him the bag.  
  
"Thanks." He mumbled.  
  
"Giles," Buffy shoved a plain white bag across the table to her Watcher, "either Anya just got some really good drugs off the street or it's you're sandwich from the deli." Giles merely glared at her and took the bag. "So what'd ya get me?" Buffy asked excited.  
  
"Salad." Tara passed a clear plastic container to Buffy. Inside was a wild array of lettuce, carrots, cheese, tomatoes, and dressing.  
  
"Salad?" the Slayer asked, disappointed. "How come I don't get any fatty, greasy goodness?"  
  
Spike scrunched in next to her and took her hand. He placed it gently on her growing stomach. "This is why." He said simply.  
  
Buffy grumbled, opening the salad and stabbing some of the vegetables. "Being pregnant sucks." 


	16. Chapter 16

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
** Author's Notes: Sorry this took so long guys, but I kinda lost my floppy disk. And me being the stupid person I am didn't make a copy or anything. Yeah I know, pretty dumb, but what can I say I'm a risk taker. **  
  
"Got a surprise for you luv." Spike sang as he let himself into the house that he and Buffy now shared. He threw his duster over the banister and strode into the living room. "Slayer?" he called, not finding her in the living room. He checked the kitchen, dining room, her room, and Bit's room, but still no Buffy. "Slayer!" Spike yelled, panic starting to rise within him, "Bit!" He hadn't seen either of them all day; some nonsense about a soddin' 'Sisterly Bonding Day'. Jogging from room to room, the vampire was starting to become frantic. He was checking the kitchen for the third time before he saw the small piece of paper attached to the fridge with a magnet. Spike snatched the paper and quickly read the note:  
  
Spike, Dawn and I came home but you weren't back yet, so we decided to head to a movie around 3. Should be back around 9 or so. You can stop freaking out now. We're both fine. Have fun, Buffy & Dawn  
  
Spike released an overdramatic sigh of relief. He crumbled the paper and threw it into the trash. 'Bloody heart almost stopped,' He complained to himself, 'not that it was beating to begin with. And what kind of movie are they seeing that's 6 bloody hours long?!' Spike pulled a fresh bag of blood from the refrigerator, poured the contents into a clean mug, and popped it into the microwave. He set the timer and waited patiently for it to beep. Spike grabbed the warm mug and made his way to the living room. Passions was on in 10 minutes and he'd be damned if he missed it.  
  
Throwing himself down on the sofa, Spike picked up the remote and began surfing through channels; commercial, commercial, cartoons, commercial, and finally Passions. Spike sipped his blood, grimacing slightly at the taste. He despised pig's blood, but since the Initiative put that handy little chip in his brain, he couldn't have real human blood. So it was pig's blood for him now.  
  
Again, there were more commercials gracing the TV screen. Spike watched in humor as a dozen or so cats, galloped through a small town, advertising cat food. Then the screen went black and another commercial came on. But this one wasn't humorous; it was a commercial for a store that had just opened in town, a party store.  
  
'What will they come up with next?' Spike thought to himself as he watched the images flash by. Kids at a birthday party, swinging at a colorful piñata, people gathered for a wedding shower, the bride and groom in the center, and a pregnant, very pregnant woman in the middle of a group of friends opening gifts.  
  
He'd never thought of that. Spike hadn't even thrown Buffy a baby shower. It was a tradition; at least among humans it was, to throw a party for a mother-to-be. 'I should do this.' Spike thought, light bulb appearing in his mind. 'I will. I'll throw a surprise baby shower for Buffy.' He glanced at the clock hanging just above the fireplace, 4:46. 'Four hours to throw a party?' the voice in Spike's head asked in disbelief, 'You can't do it.'  
  
"The hell I can't!" Spike shouted aloud. He jumped off the couch and set to work.  
  
"This is pointless." Willow complained. "It has no points, it's round!"  
  
"Calm down, honey." Tara smiled sweetly at her girlfriend.  
  
"I don't want to calm down." Willow laughed, "I've had four iced mochas from the Espresso Pump, I can't calm down, I'm on a sugar rush!"  
  
Both Tara and Willow burst into synchronized fits of hysteria. They collapsed on the bed they shared, each clutching their stomachs. The laughter continued for nearly 10 minutes before it died, leaving the Wiccas lying on the bed, smiling brightly. Both were content to just lay there for the rest of their lives, but the phone rang, forcing Willow to get up. She grumbled and groaned as she made her way across the room to the nightstand where the phone sat. She picked up the receiver and tried to sound as pleasant as possible.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Red?" the voice on the other side asked.  
  
"Spike?" Willow asked eyes widening. "Spike since when do you call me?" Tara climbed off the bed and joined the girl at the mention of Spike's name.  
  
"Well I'm not going to make a habit of it, trust me, but I need to ask you a favor." Spike bit his bottom lip as he spoke. He hated admitting he needed help, and hated it even more to ask any one of the Scoobies, but he was desperate.  
  
"Sure," Willow answered, "what'd you need?"  
  
"I was thinking, um, well, do you think Buffy would like a baby shower?"  
  
Willow was taken aback. She and Tara had been talking about just that lately, they had decided to throw her a surprise party next week. "Y- yeah." She stumbled, "She'd love it. Actually Tara and I were planning a little party next week."  
  
"What do you think about a little party tonight?" Spike asked, desperately hoping she would agree.  
  
"Tonight?" Willow asked.  
  
"Tonight?" Tara echoed.  
  
"Tonight." Spike confirmed. The tone of their voices had caused him to feel both uncertain and almost embarrassed. What was he thinking? Could he really pull this off? "What d'you think?"  
  
Willow didn't answer, but merely stared at Tara. 'Spike wants to throw Buffy a surprise baby shower tonight. Can we pull this off?' she asked her girlfriend using their newfound practice of telepathy.  
  
'A baby shower?' Tara asked. 'Tonight?'  
  
"When?" Willow asked into the phone.  
  
"Slayer and Bit went off to a movie, said they'd be back around nine." Spike explained.  
  
'Nine,' Willow told Tara mentally, 'that'll give us less than four hours.'  
  
'What do you think, Willow?'  
  
The witch stared long and hard at the space just above Tara's head. Buffy was her best friend, had been since they were sixteen. She'd saved her life more times than Willow could count. She'd do anything for Buffy, anything at all.  
  
"What do you need us to do?" Willow asked Spike.  
  
Spike paced back and forth in front of the door, awaiting Willow and Tara's arrival. He had hung up with them nearly an hour ago. Much to Spike's surprise, Tara and Willow had agreed to help him with the party. They were probably out buying streamers, balloons, the whole bloody lot, right now.  
  
He'd also called the Watcher, demon girl and the whelp, and they all said they'd be there after they had a sufficient amount of research done. Which could mean they would be there all night.  
  
Spike continued to pace in front of the door, chewing anxiously on his bottom lip. He had no idea why he was so worried about this party going right, not ten years ago he would ripped the limbs off of every last Scooby including the Slayer, and now here he was trying his best to impress and be accepted by them. What had become of the Big Bad that desecrated half of Europe along side Drusilla?  
  
'He got a soddin' chip rammed into his brain.' Spike thought with remorse. 'I'm still the Big Bad, I'm just-'  
  
'House broken?' the little voice nagged. 'Face it, you've been tamed, domesticated.'  
  
'Have not.' Spike argued with himself. There could have been an all out fight were it not for a knock at the front door. Spike rushed over, hoping it was the witches. He flung the door to open to find a beautiful young woman standing on his porch.  
  
"Can I help you?" Spike asked, casually looking past the woman to see if Tara and Willow had brought a friend.  
  
"Spike?" she asked, "Spike is that you?"  
  
"Maybe." Spike answered wearily. "Depends on who wants to know." He looked the woman in front of him over; she sparked some feeling recognition, but Spike just couldn't place her. 'Could be that chit I turned in Portugal.'  
  
"Spike." The woman pushed passed him and walked into the house like she owned it.  
  
'Nope, not a vamp.' "Listen, I don't know who you are and I bloody don't appreciate people I don't know trampling in my house. So if you don't mind," Spike pushed the door open as far as it would go, "get your bloody arse out!"  
  
"Geez Spike." She sighed, "Your memory isn't the greatest is it? You seriously don't remember me?" Spike merely stared at the woman blankly. "Sunnydale High? Spike it's me!" Again with the blank stare. "Cordelia!"  
  
Suddenly his memory worked again. Cordelia, one of the Slayer's mates, she was always the annoying, clingy one. "Bloody hell," Spike sighed. He'd once trapped her and Red in a closet while looking for the Slayer. Last he heard of her, the Whelp said she was working in L.A. with-  
  
"Hello Spike." A male voice greeted.  
  
Spike turned slowly; he already knew who was behind him, but turning around only verify what he feared.  
  
There he stood, taller than Spike, and broader; the attitude of a prisoner in exile, and the face of an angel.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Spike sneered.  
  
"Oh don't seem so happy to see me." Angel said, stepping inside the Summers' home. He moved passed Spike without a sideward glance. "Where's Buffy?" he asked casually.  
  
"Not home." Spike snapped, he slammed the door shut angrily, knowing he couldn't make Angel leave even if he tried. "Why are you looking for the Slayer?"  
  
"We've got a little problem." Cordy said stepping between the two vampires.  
  
"What's it matter to you?" Angel asked, wondering why Spike was at Buffy's house when she wasn't there. "What are you house sitting or something?"  
  
'He doesn't know.' Spike thought triumphantly. 'I've got a secret over Peaches, one that's sure to piss him off.' A sly smile spread across Spike's face, but he hid it quickly, not wanting to tip off his guests. "I, uh, had a bit of info I thought the Slayer could use, and decided to drop by. I just walked in a few minutes before you came barging about."  
  
"Maybe we should find Giles." Cordy suggested to Angel. "He might know what happened."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Spike asked, feeling left out of the bloody loop.  
  
"Cordelia's visions have stopped." Angel explained. "But during her last one, she said she saw someone, a girl."  
  
"And Buffy. She was there too." Cordelia added, feeling incredibly helpful.  
  
"Don't know anything about that such stuff." Spike mumbled, and it was the truth. "Go find the Watcher, he'll be down at the Magic Box, it's on Main Street, can't miss it."  
  
Cordelia looked over her shoulder at Angel. "What do you think?" she asked.  
  
"Giles and I have never gotten along that well." Angel admitted.  
  
"Well imagine that!" Spike sang with fake astonishment. "Someone doesn't like Peaches. Who would've guessed?"  
  
Cordelia snickered at the remark, earning an estranged look from her vampire companion. She quickly turned the giggle into a couch, waving her hand for emphasis. Angel merely glared at Spike, suddenly remembering why he had objected to coming here. He glanced around the living room then back at Cordy. "We'll wait." He said simply, moving into the living room and taking a seat on the couch.  
  
Cordy brushed passed Spike, a sympathetic smile on her face and sat next to Angel. Though she would never admit it, Cordelia knew just how obnoxious and ill-tempered Angel could be at times. She had pointed it out to him a few times, but he had been so irritated by it that she quickly amended and left the room. It was never brought up since, for fear of losing some limbs.  
  
"Of course you will." Spike mumbled to himself. 'This should be interesting.' 


	17. Chapter 17

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
"I can't believe it," Buffy sighed as she and Dawn exited the Sun Cinema. She tossed her half eaten bag of popcorn in a nearby trashcan and continued, "I can't believe I just spent the last 6 hours watching the Star Wars trilogy. What a waste of time."  
  
"Hey," Dawn scolded her half-heartedly. "Those are classic movies and besides, Harrison Ford is very good looking in those movies."  
  
"Han?" Buffy asked. "He's too cocky and he thinks he always so great."  
  
"Hmm," Dawn sighed over dramatically, "Sounds like someone else we know. A certain undead Billy Idol wannabe."  
  
"I thought Luke was better looking." Buffy said changing the subject quickly.  
  
"Luke?" Dawn scoffed, the whole Spike thing completely forgotten-for now. "No way." Both girls laughed as the walked down the dark and nearly deserted streets of Sunnydale. "What time is it?" Dawn asked her sister, glancing around at the nearby shops. Their windows were all dimly lit with the merchandise being cast into eerie shadows.  
  
"Quarter after 8, we've got some time to kill." Buffy said checking her watch.  
  
"Wanna grab a mocha at the Espresso Pump?" Dawn asked hopefully. She was lacking the certain pep she usually possessed and hoped a frothy, iced mocha might give her a boost.  
  
Buffy considered her options for a second. "Not sure if all that sugar is good for me. Gotta keep a healthy diet nowadays." Buffy laid a gentle palm against the swell of her stomach.  
  
"Oh, right." Dawn amended, wondering how she could have forgotten that. Willow and Tara had raided through the whole Summers' house, and everything that was even remotely chocolate was taken out. It was nothing but health food in their house, and Dawn hated it. Chocolate was like oxygen to her, she needed it to wake up in the morning. Annoyed as she was, Dawn understood the reasoning behind the callous actions. Buffy needed to be eating healthy, and both Dawn and Spike were determined to be helpful. "How are my favorite niece and nephew doing today?" Dawn asked, her voce suddenly morphing into her baby-talk voice.  
  
"Um, Dawn?" Buffy pointed out with a small chuckle, "They're your only niece and nephew."  
  
"Yeah well they're still my favorites." Dawn huffed. "We'll stop at the Magic Box then head home. Sound good?"  
  
"Let's go." Buffy looped her arm through Dawn's and both girls took off down the street.  
  
Cordelia sat on the Summers' couch and stared at the pictures sated on the coffee table. 'What am I doing here?' she thought to herself. 'I haven't seen these people since graduation and I don't really feel like tromping down memory lane at the moment.' "Angel," she addressed the brooding vampire seated next to her, "can't we just go look for Giles? Why do we need to see Buffy anyway? She's not going to be able to do anything."  
  
"I told you this before," Angel snapped. He was becoming increasingly annoyed, what with being in the presence of his childe. Angel couldn't help but wonder why Spike was in Buffy's house at this time of night. He didn't buy his excuse, it just didn't seem like Spike.  
  
"Yeah I know," Cordelia whined, "You promised Buffy if you ever came to Sunnydale you'd stop in and see her. But for all we know she's at the Magic Box with Giles, or she might even be out patrolling."  
  
'Doubt that.' Spike thought to himself, 'And if she is I'll kick her pregnant ass.' He was busying himself in the kitchen, trying desperately to stay at least 20 feet away from his sire. He was just getting Cordelia a soda she had asked for when there was a knock at the kitchen door. Spike rushed to the door and opened it.  
  
"You want to take one of these?" Willow asked, thrusting a brown paper bag full of party supplies at Spike. The vampire took it and let the girls in. "We're got a killer deal on all this stuff, sorry it took so long."  
  
"Um, Red?" Spike pushed the girls into the kitchen trying to keep the noise down. "We got a problem.  
  
"I know, we've only got a little bit of time to decorate, but Tara and I can-"  
  
"That's not it." Spike grabbed Willow's arm and pulled her to the kitchen door, he pushed it open a crack so she could see.  
  
Willow couldn't believe her eyes. There on Buffy's couch sat Angel and raven-haired woman. 'She looks familiar.' Willow's inner voice screamed. Finally it hit her, 'Cordelia!' With one final glance Willow backed away from the door and stared at Spike. "We've got serious problems. Why are they here anyway?" She fought to keep her voice low as to not alert the couple to their presence.  
  
"Who's here?" Tara whispered, feeling a bit out of the loop.  
  
"The chit lost her visions and someone in Sunnyhell got them." Spike explained in his own unique wording.  
  
"She doesn't have visions anymore?"  
  
"Who doesn't have visions?" Tara asked. She was quickly becoming lost in the conversation and it unnerved her greatly.  
  
"Apparently not and someone here-someone connected to the Slayer-does." Spike had begun to pace the kitchen. He snuck a peek at the clock on the stove. He only had forty minutes-give or take-to get Angel and the girl out of the house and out of Sunnydale.  
  
"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Tara demanded surprising both Spike and Willow with her sudden boldness. She added a quick "Please?" before blushing.  
  
"Angel and Cordelia are here-as in Buffy's first boyfriend Angel. Neither of them knows that Buffy is pregnant, hell they don't even know Buffy and Spike are together." Willow explained rapidly. "Cordelia was given the gift of visions, she would see things before they happened, but I guess now she had passed on the gift to someone up here."  
  
"So what happens when Buffy and Dawn get home?" Tara asked, eyes wide with sudden fear.  
  
"All hell breaks lose." Spike offered.  
  
"Simply math here." The gears in Willow's brain were beginning to turn, a plan formulating. "All we have to do is delay Buffy and Dawn from coming home. Spike," she pointed to the vampire, "call the Magic shop and get Giles to stall. She'll be stopping there before coming home." Willow took a moment and thought about her next move. "Tara and I will take care of Angel and Cordy."  
  
"What are you talking about Red?" Spike asked wearily even as he picked up the phone and began dialing the number of the Magic Box.  
  
"Don't worry." Willow said in a teasing voice. She flashed Spike a wicked grin to accent her meaning, and then pulled Tara aside. "Okay, here's the plan."  
  
The bell above the Magic Box door jingled happily as Buffy and Dawn walked in.  
  
"Hello?" Buffy called when no one greeted them. There was a moment of silence then a response from the back. "Looks like they're deep in the research."  
  
"Sounds like fun." Dawn said dryly. She shrugged of her denim jacket and slung it across her arm, following Buffy to the rear of the store.  
  
That's where she found them: Giles, Anya and Xander. All three of them were seated around the research table, a slew of books scattered around, even some stacked on the floor beside them. Giles had his nose buried in a book, obviously fascinated by what he was reading, but the other two, they looked so completely bored that it actually hurt. Buffy took a seat next to Giles and Dawn next to Anya.  
  
"Find anything yet?" she asked him.  
  
Giles, jumped from surprise. He was so caught up in his reading that he didn't hear them come in.  
  
"What? Oh yes, well not much I'm afraid but we have found some new information." Giles said taking off his glasses and giving them a quick cleaning.  
  
"So we still don't know anything about this prophecy?" Buffy asked. She pulled a book in front of her and began leafing through the pages aimlessly. She couldn't place it, but there was something about this prophecy that unnerved her. Something that seemed all too familiar.  
  
"How are we going to get to Buffy's surprise party when Buffy's here?" Anya leaned in and whispered to her fiancé. They were all just about to pack it up and leave when Buffy and Dawn had arrived. Xander merely shrugged his shoulders in response.  
  
Giles was about to add something when the phone rang behind the counter. He excused himself and went to answer it returning a few moments later with a worried look on his face.  
  
"Who was it?" Buffy asked, noticing her Watcher's expression.  
  
"What? Oh, it was just Spike. Calling to see if you and Dawn were here." Giles knew he was a terrible liar, even as he spoke he could feel his face getting flushed.  
  
"I really think we need to get Spike a hobby." Dawn laughed. "All he does is worry about us all day long." They all shared a good chuckle before Giles pulled Xander aside.  
  
"What d'you need G-Man?" Xander asked in a hushed voice. Giles had pulled him to the basement claiming he needed help moving some crates.  
  
"Xander I've told you repetitively not to call me that." Giles scolded him then became more serious. "That was Spike on the phone, but he needs our help. He told me to keep Buffy and Dawn at the shop as long as possible."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well it seems that Angel is here."  
  
"Angel!" Xander shouted in surprise. Giles automatically quieted him.  
  
"Yes," Giles stole a glance up that stairs at the door hoping no one had heard Xander's little outburst. "Apparently he and Cordelia are here to see Buffy."  
  
"Cordy's here too?" Xander cringed at the thought of seeing his ex. He and Cordy had only gone out for a short while, but their relationship was complicated; a mix between lust, competition, and hatred.  
  
"Yes, but you're missing the point. Angel does not know about Buffy current, um, condition, and I doubt he will take it all too well."  
  
"Oh right." He pushed the thoughts about his past relationships out of him mind and focused with the task at hand. "So what's the plan?"  
  
"We'll simply recruit them to help with the research, it shouldn't be that hard."  
  
"Whatever you say G-man." Xander agreed with a snide grin. Giles merely glared in his direction and ascended the stairs behind him. When they got to the top Buffy and Dawn were preparing to leave.  
  
"Where ya goin'?" Xander asked, suddenly very anxious.  
  
"Um, home?" Dawn suggested pulling her jacket onto her arm. "That's generally where we sleep." Both Buffy and Dawn laughed.  
  
"Buffy we really need some help here with the research." Giles explained. He moved to the table and grabbed two books, walked back to the girls, and handed one to each of them.  
  
"But Giles I'm horrible with research, you know that." Buffy whined trying to hand the book back to him, but Giles refused to take it.  
  
"Please Buffy." Giles voice changed to pleading fatherly tone.  
  
"Oh fine." She huffed returning to her previous seat at the table. "You know I hate it when you use that voice."  
  
"Yes I'm quite aware." Giles said with a smirk. "And that's why I use it."  
  
Dawn tossed her book onto the table and giggled triumphantly. "Since I'm not allowed to do research I'll be in the back sleeping." She turned to leave when Giles grabbed her elbow and pulled her to sit on the bench.  
  
"I think it's time that you be introduced to the wonderful world of books." He said trying to hold back a grin.  
  
"I second that," Buffy chimed in.  
  
"Third!" "Fourth!" Xander and Anya called.  
  
"You guys suck." Dawn sighed as she flipped open a book. 


	18. Chapter 18

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
"I don't know what you did Red, but you're amazing." Spike laughed, standing in the now empty living room. Angel had just sprinted out of the house, Cordelia in quick pursuit.  
  
The Wicca merely smiled at the vampire and blushed. "Let's just say I work in mysterious ways." She quickly amended, "Also the fact that neither Angel or Cordelia know Tara was a big help."  
  
"Right," Spike said tearing into one of the discarded brown paper bags atop the center coffee table. "The watcher is gonna stall for as long as possible so we've got about 15 minutes to get this place ready."  
  
After a small pause, they set to work. Willow and Tara quickly blew up twenty or so multicolored balloons and began hanging them around the living room and kitchen area. Spike was left to work the streamers. He tried taping them to the fireplace, but they refused to stick; he tried sticking them around the doorway, but that wouldn't work either. Finally, Spike lost his patience with the decorations. "Bloody hell," he mumbled tossing the paper aside. "Red!"  
  
"Yeah?" Willow's head appeared in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen.  
  
"These soddin' streamers are pissing me off!"  
  
With a hushed giggle, Willow walked over to Spike and took his arm. "Why don't you help Tara in the kitchen and leave this to me. She's just dishing out the chips. You can handle that much."  
  
"Fine," Spike grumbled. He stalked passed Willow and through the doorway. There he found Tara behind the kitchen island pouring chips from a bag into a large bowl. Already there were numerous bowls out filled with snack foods.  
  
Tara looked up from her current task and smiled shyly at her new companion. "Oh, hi Spike," She said sweetly, "Are the decorations done already?"  
  
"No, Red's doing that since I'm obviously incapable of taping paper to the wall." Spike growled in frustration. He picked up a handful of chips and stuffed them into his mouth. Deciding the taste wasn't that horrible, he reached for another handful only to have his fingers smacked playfully by Tara. "What was that for?" Spike asked his voice filled with fake hurt. He cradled his hand to his chest like a little boy who burnt his hand on the stove.  
  
"Those are for the party," Tara warned, "hands off!" She picked up two of the bowls and handed them to Spike. "Take them in the living room." She followed quickly behind another bowl in her grasp.  
  
"I think we're pretty much set here." Willow announced when the two blondes entered the living room carrying the food.  
  
Tara set her bowl on the coffee table and looked around the room, admiring her girlfriend's handiwork. "It looks great Will."  
  
"Where did you put the gift?" The red head asked Tara.  
  
"Oh it's in the kitchen," Tara suddenly remembered, "I'll go grab it." She said and slipped out of the room.  
  
"When did you have time to buy a gift?" Spike asked, eyebrows raised in confusion.  
  
"Oh, um," Willow stammered, "R-right after Buffy found out she was pregnant. Tara and I found a baby store in the mall and couldn't leave. We spent a good hour just picking out clothes and laughing about how cute they were. We found the cutest little-"  
  
"Here it is." Tara cried triumphantly. She came back into room carrying a large, brightly colored gift bag. A shiny, twisting bow was hanging around the handles and colored tissue paper peeked out the top. The witch crossed the living room and handed the bag to her girlfriend.  
  
"Let me see." Spike approached Willow and tried to look inside the bag, but she jerked it out of his sight.  
  
"You'll see it when Buffy opens it and not before." Willow warned.  
  
"W-what did you get Spike?" Tara asked.  
  
"You'll see it when the Slayer opens it and not before." He chuckled, echoing Willow's words.  
  
"Giles there's nothing in these books." Dawn whined.  
  
"Yeah I'm going to have to agree with Dawn on this one." Anya piped in. She slammed the book in front of her shut and sighed loudly.  
  
"I told Spike we'd be home by nine and it's already-" Buffy glanced down at her wrist, "9:26."  
  
Giles finally looked up from the book he was searching, and studied the faces of the people around him. They all seemed to be equally tired, their faces etched with drowsiness. They had not been researching for that long, but time seemed to move a lot slower when your nose was buried in a book, searching endlessly for a question with no known answer.  
  
"I suppose we should call it a night." Reluctantly, the Watcher gently closed the musty old book in front of him and stood. No sooner than he took a step, everyone slammed their books shut and pushed back from the research table, heavy sighs of relief echoing in the silent room.  
  
"Guess we should be heading out now?" Xander asked Giles, hoping the older man would find the hidden question within. What Xander really wanted to know was 'How are we going to get out of here and to Buffy's house before her?'  
  
"Yes," Anya joined in, "we should be leaving soon."  
  
Buffy stood and quickly shrugged on her coat. "Yes we better get moving." She said to Dawn, "Spike's probably having a fit. He'll have Clem out looking for us in another two minutes."  
  
The younger Summers laughed and threw her coat on shouting a goodbye to the group. They left arm in arm, complaining about over protective vampires.  
  
As soon as the Magic Box door swung shut, the bell above singing of their departure, Giles was upon it, locking it up tight. "Back door," he said without elaborating, "we've got to get to that house before they do." All three of them scurried out the back, Giles flicking off the lights before they exited. They raced through the back alleys of town, avoiding the usual way of getting to the house, knowing they would meet the Slayer along the way and have some explaining to do.  
  
"Hurry," Xander shouted as he pulled ahead of the pack. All three kept up with each other, jogging through town, desperately trying to beat the Slayer.  
  
Upon reaching the house, Xander burst through the front door and immediately trip over the rug, falling flat on his face.  
  
Spike stood in the doorway to the kitchen and laughed. "And the Most Graceful Award goes to-" he spoke loudly, imitating a TV announcer's voice.  
  
"Shut up Spike." Xander growled half winded as he pulled himself to his feet. Giles and Anya arrived and shut the door quickly behind them.  
  
"Oh hey guys." Willow called enthusiastically, pushing past Spike to approach the group. "All the gifts are already here so there's no need to run home."  
  
"Oh my," Giles cursed under his breath. After a moments pause he asked, "How did you know where my present was?"  
  
"Well we were w-with you when you bought it." Tara supplied, blushing when the group laughed.  
  
"Oh yes," he suddenly remembered. "Very good."  
  
"Well Buffy will be here any moment so we better get this shindig started right." Spike couldn't believe the way he was acting or his odd use of the word 'shindig'. This was the Big Bad, murderer of thousands of innocent people, and here he was throwing a surprise baby shower for the Slayer, for their children. If Dru could see him now, she'd probably dust herself on the spot.  
  
Everyone moved to find a good hiding spot. Xander and Anya chose just inside the living room, standing on either side of the doorway; Willow and Tara were behind the couch; and Giles was crouching behind the chair. Spike figured there was no reason for him to hide, after all someone was going to have to let the others know when to stop giggling and be all secretive. He looked out the living room window and peered down the street. A short distance down, two figures were approaching the house. Spike immediately recognized them both.  
  
"Here they come." He announced to the group. Everyone fell into their places. Spike flicked off the lights to the living room and waited by the door. He was so nervous that he could have sworn he felt his heart beat, but quickly shrugged it off. Peering out the tiny window in the door, Spike could see Buffy and Dawn turning into the sidewalk and coming towards the house. 'Okay act mad, act angry, act like peaches!' he prepped himself mentally.  
  
As they approached the house, Dawn pointed out something off about the house. "That's weird." She said suddenly, earning a curious glance from her sister.  
  
"What's weird?"  
  
"The house," Dawn pointed straight ahead, "all the lights are out. Spike can't be asleep already, I mean, he never even sleeps. Does he?" Before Buffy could answer Dawn broke in again, "Oh wait, you wouldn't know would you? Cause every night you two are making with the crazy, naked sex."  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy shouted, trying to be stern but failing to hide a tiny giggle that escaped her lips.  
  
"Admit it!" Dawn shouted in triumph.  
  
The Slayer just shook her head. She went to grab the doorknob, but jumped back when the door flung open revealing a very pissed off Spike behind it.  
  
"Where have you two been?" he growled.  
  
"We were at the movies." Dawn supplied.  
  
"Yeah I spent the entire day watching the Star Wars trilogy. Have a little sympathy here." Buffy added, attempting to bring Spike from his irritated mood.  
  
"You said you'd be home by nine." Spike retorted fighting back a grin at Buffy's argument. "It's 9:38!"  
  
"Geez, Sorry." Buffy apologized, a bit taken back by the harshness in his tone.  
  
"Giles had us at the Magic Box researching." Dawn added, finally finding her voice in the lovers' quarrel. "Blame him."  
  
Spike's face softened a bit, and a loud sigh graced his lips. "Fine, but it's late, let's get inside."  
  
With a final nod to Spike, Buffy stepped inside the house quickly followed by Dawn, and Spike bringing up the rear. 


	19. Chapter 19

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
As Buffy stepped into the house, she was greeted by darkness. "Um Spike?" she asked, feeling the wall for the light switch, "was there like a power outage while we were gone?"  
  
"No," Spike answered moving past the two girls and into the living room.  
  
Buffy moved to follow, but was pushed back by a sudden rush of noise. "SURPRISE!" shouted a multitude of voices, causing her to stumble backwards in astonishment. "W-what the-"  
  
"It's a surprise baby shower!" Willow shouted while climbing out of her hiding place. She was so excited that she almost fell flat on her face while climbing out but luckily Xander was there to catch her.  
  
"You guys did this all for me?" the Slayer asked, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.  
  
"Actually it was all Spike's idea." Giles amended.  
  
"This is so cool!" Dawn said with enthusiasm, looking around the room.  
  
Buffy turned to Spike, who despite the great joy and amusement Buffy found in the impromptu party, was standing off to the side, a curious look on his face. "You did all this?" she asked, hand motioning around the room to make her point clear.  
  
"Well yea." Spike answered after a short pause. "The Wiccas helped too. Since I'm too inept to decorate they had do pretty much everything and-"  
  
Cutting off Spike's ramble, Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and smashed her lips to his. She had never felt such an urge to be with him, there seemed to be some unmistakable force, drawing them together, as if they were two magnets.  
  
Taking Buffy's lead, Spike curled his arms around her and laid them flat against her lower back. While their tongues danced, Spike's hands slowly slid around her body and under the material of her shirt until they were resting against the bare flesh of her bulging stomach. His thumbs began tracing lazy circles around her bellybutton.  
  
Buffy's heart raced, the minute his cold hands touched her stomach, she could feel the twins kicking and moving about. Almost as if they knew exactly whose hand it was; almost as if they already knew who their father was and what his touch felt like.  
  
Dawn stared at the couple, heart melting in her chest. 'This is what it's all supposed to be like. This is what fate is supposed to mean.' She reason. 'It's perfect, it's-it's what mom would have wanted.' Feeling her eyes begin to tear up, Dawn quickly blinked them back.  
  
"So," Giles muttered, breaking the insatiable tension that had invaded the room, "shall we get this party started?"  
  
The vampire and slayer broke apart, staring deeply into each other's eyes. "Yeah." Spike said without looking away from Buffy's eyes. "Let's party."  
  
"Will there be presents?" Buffy asked excitedly, earning a few laughs from the assembled crowd. "What? It's a fair question."  
  
"Of course," Willow said with a huge grin. She walked over and took Buffy by the arm, tugging her towards the couch. "Better start opening them, you know," she shot a comical look at the vampire across the room, "before Spike gets his grubby little hands on them and ruins all the surprise."  
  
Later, Buffy sat on the couch amidst the debris of wrapping paper, bows, and presents. A brand new playpen, compliments of Xander and Anya sat in the corner, the rest of the gifts piled neatly inside. Her friends had really gone out of their way to make this night special and for the first time in a long time, Buffy felt her place in the world was right here where she was.  
  
"Isn't this the cutest thing you have ever seen?" Willow gushed holding up a pink plaid sundress with little flowers gracing the front breast pocket and tiny white sandals with flower décor to match.  
  
"It is adorable." Dawn said excitedly. "So this is what you did that time you guys ditched me in the mall?"  
  
"Yep," Tara answered, "We spent 2 hours in the Baby Gap just looking at cute clothes and getting all mushy. It was really a fun time."  
  
"Thank you guys for everything." Buffy finally spoke up. "This party, all the gifts," she turned to where Giles, Spike and Xander were sitting in a group, "taking over the slaying."  
  
"It was our pleasure Buffy." Giles said taking a sip of tea, which he had made himself earlier. "You need to take it easy for the next few months."  
  
"Yea," Xander chimed in, "Nothing but sleeping and eating for the Buffster."  
  
"Well hey as long as there's chocolate cookie dough ice cream, french- fries, and Ranch dressing in the house, I'm all kinds of good." A bright smile graced Buffy's face as she thought of the names foods.  
  
Giles had to choke back his gag reflex, hearing such foods be put into a similar group of any kind was beyond disgusting. The older man turned to face the vampire across from him, giving him a confused look.  
  
"What?" Spike asked. "I told you she got weird cravings. At least we're over the pickles."  
  
"Pickles?!" Buffy asked excitedly.  
  
"Hey," Dawn spoke up, happily dragging the conversation away from the horrible eating habits of her sister, "Spike where's our gift?"  
  
"Oh, sorry Bit, forgot to bring it down." The blonde rose from the chair and took off up the steps taking them two at a time.  
  
"You'll completely love them," Dawn assured Buffy, stuffing a handful of pretzels into her mouth and attempting to talk around them. "Spike and I found them on a trip to the mall and just couldn't pass 'em up!"  
  
Moments later, Spike returned from upstairs carrying two small, square boxes; one wrapped in shiny blue paper, the other in bright pink. He handed the boxes to Buffy and took a seat next to her.  
  
Buffy eyed both Spike and Dawn-who were smiling broadly at each other- before setting the blue box on the coffee table in front of her and taking the pink one in her hand. She examined it closely, it was the size of her palm and wrapped with delicate pink paper. "I'm going to go on a hunch and say that someone at the store wrapped these?"  
  
"Why would you say that?" Dawn asked, mock disappointment in her voice.  
  
"Well because you once tried to wrap mom's Christmas gift-which I might add was in a box-for two hours and it looked like someone wrapped it with their feet." The Slayer explained. "Also," she continued after a small chuckle escaped her lips from the memory, "I remember the box of chocolates Spike gave me one year for my birthday. They were all smashed and the box really was square anymore."  
  
"Oh quit complaining and open the gifts." Spike hurried her along. Truth be told he was anxious to see her reaction to the gifts.  
  
Buffy took a deep breath and tore into the paper. Surprisingly it came off very easily. She removed a small gray box and removed the lid. Her breath caught in her throat. Inside was a tiny silver cross much like the one Buffy herself wore with the name Audra Lynn written in fancy cursive letters. Carefully, Buffy pulled the necklace from the box and draped it over her palm, examining it closely.  
  
"Oh my God-" she whispered in amazement.  
  
"Do you like it?" Dawn asked eagerly, happy to see the joyous expression on her sister's face.  
  
"It's beautiful," she gasped. She rotated her hand, the light hitting the necklace, making it almost glow.  
  
"Open the other one." Willow commanded, full of excitement.  
  
Buffy gently set the tiny necklace back in the box and closed the lid. Then she took the other gift, wrapped in blue paper, and eagerly tore into it to find an identical gray box. Although she already knew what was inside, Buffy was amazed to find the same silver cross inside, but this time the name William Andrew scrolled across the middle.  
  
"You guys," the Slayer's voice quivered a little as she addressed Spike and Dawn, "these are beautiful. Thank you so much." She set the boxes on the table in front of her, gave Dawn, and Spike each a quick hug.  
  
"I knew you'd like them." Dawn said triumphantly as she embraced her sister.  
  
"You really like them?" Spike asked once Buffy had wrapped her arms around him in a death grip.  
  
"They're perfect." She smiled.  
  
"Anyone want something to drink?" Willow asked. "I'm making Margaritas!"  
  
"I'll have one!" Anya shouted.  
  
"Me too!" Dawn added, fully expecting the usual refusal from everyone, but there came none. Trying not to draw any attention, Dawn glanced from Willow to Buffy and Spike who had moved into the hallways and were currently in a serious make-out session. 'Well at least she can't yell at me while Spike's tongue is down her throat.' She thought laughing to herself.  
  
"Anyone else?" Willow asked the group.  
  
"I'll take one too." Tara said shyly, "I'll help you make them."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
"Can you hand me the strawberries?" Willow asked her girlfriend, who was busy smashing a bag of ice into smaller pieces.  
  
"Sure," the girl answered, picking up at small carton of fresh strawberries and handing them to her.  
  
"I think this night has gone pretty well, don't you?" Willow asked while grinding up the Margarita ingredients in the blender. Normally you wouldn't be able to hear yourself think while using a blender, but with a handy little silencer spell, you could hear a pin drop in he Summers' kitchen.  
  
"Y-yeah." Tara agreed. She was about to add onto her comment when the kitchen door opened wildly revealing a very pissed off Cordelia behind it.  
  
"Okay," she started, "first you tell us there's a big ass demon wreaking havoc downtown and that Angel needs to take care of it, but then when we get to where SHE," the girl pointed to Tara, "said she was attacked, there's nothing there. Zip. Zilch. Nada. So what I'm wondering is-"  
  
"Cordy where exactly is Angel?" Willow asked in terrible fright. No party needed a crasher, and having Buffy's ex beau fill the position was not a ticket fun land.  
  
"Right behind me. Or at least he was." The brunette explained.  
  
As fast as she could muster, Willow was around the kitchen island and shutting the door. She wasn't fast enough. Angel barreled into the wood, knocking Willow onto the floor.  
  
"Where's Buffy?" he asked hurriedly. "I need to talk to her now!"  
  
"Uh oh." Was all Willow could muster. 


	20. Chapter 20

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
** Author's Notes: This chapter's got some Angel bashing, and if you're an Angel fan, I'm sorry, but I had to do it! **  
  
"What the bloody hell was that?" Spike asked, breaking the passionate embrace that he and Buffy had shared only seconds ago. Perking his ears towards the kitchen, he listened but all he heard were muffled voices.  
  
"Spike?" Buffy asked in a bemused voice, "How often do I let you kiss me in front of my friends?"  
  
He pondered for a second before answered. "Never?"  
  
"Exactly. So then why are you not kissing me now that I give you the chance?"  
  
A coy smile passed over Spike's lips, one that sent chills down Buffy's spine. "I have no idea." He finally admitted and began kissing her already swollen lips forcefully. His lips traveled down her jaw leaving light kisses all over, back to her earlobe, sucking on it gently, and finally down to her neck. Spike could smell the strawberry scent left in her golden locks by her shampoo. He inhaled deeply, basking in the wonderful feeling he got from being this close to her.  
  
Buffy's knees went weak when his expert mouth found her earlobe. Spike knew it was her most sensitive spot-her most sensitive spot that could be reached without removing clothing-and he used that knowledge to his liking. Buffy's hands moved of their own accord, traveling up Spike's back and landed flat against his chest. Her eyes were closed, her mind concentrating on the wonderful effect Spike was having on her.  
  
All too suddenly the feeling of Spike's lips on her neck was gone, his body no longer pressed against hers. Buffy's eyes snapped open at the loss of contact and stared up at a very pissed off face.  
  
"Angel." She breathed not believing her own eyes.  
  
He didn't answer. Only growled in anger. Spike lay on the floor behind the other vampire, having been throw backwards by Angel.  
  
Angel stared straight into Buffy's eyes and looked for any sign that she was hurt. He found none. Only when he took a step back did he finally noticed Buffy's large, rounded stomach.  
  
"Jesus Christ-" he gasped, "Buffy what the hell-"  
  
The Slayer said nothing as she moved around her former lover to Spike's side. He had picked himself up off the floor and was standing in a battle stance.  
  
Angel turned and watched her as Buffy moved closely to Spike, his arm wrapping tightly around her. Realization of just what was going on finally hit him. "Oh my God," he said just above a whisper. "What? When? How?"  
  
"Angel!" Dawn exclaimed when she came running into the hall, wondering what all the clatter was about. She skidded to halt just feet beside the vampire.  
  
"Buffy," Angel said completely ignoring the younger Summers' presence, "What's going on?"  
  
"Sod off, Peaches." Spike snapped rubbing his shoulder. When Angel had shoved him away from Buffy he'd smack his left shoulder off the closet doorknob.  
  
"Shut up Spike." Angel retorted. He was adding another insult when Buffy cut him off.  
  
"Don't talk to him like that." She said sternly.  
  
"Buffy why are you defending him?" Angel asked, staring at her like she had just grown a second head. "He's nothing but trouble."  
  
"Kind of like you?" Buffy asked, staring at the brunette.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Angel, every time you come here you bring trouble along for the ride. With Riley, those Indian guys, now Spike. Every time you show up here there's a cryptic message to deliver. Can't you just leave me alone?"  
  
"Whoa." Cordelia sounded from the kitchen doorway. She had just seen Buffy for the first time in over three years; boy had she changed.  
  
Not acknowledging the former cheerleader's presence, Buffy continued, "You think you can walk into my life and pass judgment on me when you have absolutely no idea what the circumstances are." Years of hidden aggression were coming to the surface within Buffy, and instead of pushing them back down, she decided to let them surface. "Spike and I," she started, grabbing the peroxide vampire's hand in her own and holding the both up, "are a couple, an item, a thing. And these," she laid her hand gently on her lower stomach, "are OUR babies. That's right, mine and Spike's children. How this all happened, damned if we know. But I'm glad it did, because unlike you he won't pick up and leave when I need him."  
  
Angel was speechless. He knew Buffy wasn't the president of his fan club, but he would never have guessed that she felt so much-hatred against him. After a long pause to gather his thoughts, Angel looked up to see all eyes focused on him. "Maybe I should go."  
  
"Maybe you should." Buffy spat.  
  
Angel turned and without another word left the house. A few seconds later, Cordelia followed in the vampire's wake. But before she left the house, Cordy paused in the doorway and turned to Buffy.  
  
Buffy, who was half expecting a snotty, holier-than-thou comeback, was shocked when the brunette looked at her and said, "By the way, Congratulations." Then she was gone into the night. Buffy's heart broke.  
  
Willow was finally the one to break the awkward silence. "I tried to stop him." She simply said.  
  
"S'ok Red." Spike told her. He turned Buffy to look at him and saw the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Pulling her into a tight embrace, Spike whispered in her ear, "Want to chase after them?" Buffy only nodded. Spike pulled her towards the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Giles asked as the two blondes stepped into the night.  
  
"We'll be back, don't worry." Spike called.  
  
Angel was lost; he was somewhere between furious, sickened, and hurt. 'How could I be this way? Am I everything she said I was? I cant be, can I?' he wondered.  
  
"Angel!" Cordelia yelled, running to catch up with him. "Angel wait!"  
  
Stopping abruptly, Angel spun and faced the oncoming girl. "Tell me something Cordy," he said, "am I really everything that she said I was?"  
  
Cordy stopped. It was true that her boss could be pig-headed at times. He had yet to visit Buffy without come cryptic message of impending doom, and she could see how that would upset her. "It's probably just the hormones." she lied.  
  
Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. "You never could lie to me."  
  
This time Cordelia was the one to sigh. This was also true; she had been one of the greatest liars in all Sunnydale High, no teacher could tell she was fibbing. For some odd reason or another, she couldn't lie to Angel, he always saw right through her. She had attempted many times, mostly about work, but each time, her boss knew she wasn't being honest and called her on it. Cordelia hated him for it.  
  
"What's wrong with me?" Angel asked her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What's wrong with me?" he repeated. He had begun pacing the sidewalk. "I mean there's got to be something wrong for Buffy to hate me that much."  
  
"Angel-" but that was all Cordelia could say.  
  
"Peaches!" a voice called from down the road. Angel stopped pacing in his tracks and turned to see both Spike and Buffy coming towards him.  
  
"Oh this should be fun." Cordy muttered as the two approached.  
  
"Listen Angel." Buffy began, but Angel cut her off with a swift apology.  
  
"Buffy I'm sorry. I know I haven't exactly been Mr. Understanding. But I never meant to judge you, but there's no way I'm ever going to get used to the sight of you and Spike." He said, all in one breath.  
  
"Hey." Spike protested, ready to defend himself.  
  
"It's weird I know." Buffy said, earning a confused look from the blonde vampire, "But there's something between us that-well-to be completely honest, just wasn't there with you and me."  
  
Angel could feel his heart breaking. He knew that Buffy loved him, and those feelings were reciprocated on his part. Seeing Buffy with Spike, well it made his stomach turn, but if this made her happy, Angel vowed he would find it inside himself to be happy for her. Just as long as he didn't have to look at them. Taking a deep breath, Angel looked deep into the Slayer's eyes. "Buffy if this is what you really want," he paused and took another breath, "I can deal."  
  
A bright smile shone on Buffy's face. Dropping Spike's hand, the blonde wrapped her arms around Angel in a friendly embrace. She felt Angel's hands come to rest on her back. "Thank you." She whispered.  
  
"Can I um," Cordy fumbled. She pointed to Buffy's rounded stomach to make her question clearer.  
  
Grinning brightly, the Slayer took her old friend's hand and placed it palm down on her stomach. Immediately the twins began kicking.  
  
"Oh my God," Cordy breathed in amazement, "Angel you have to feel this."  
  
Before the vampire could respond, his hand was being pressed to Buffy's body beside Cordelia's. Even through the fabric of the Slayer's skin, Angel could feel tiny feet kicking his hand. Angel let out a gasp.  
  
"It's-" Cordy mumbled, for the first time at a loss of words.  
  
"A miracle." Angel finished. 


	21. Chapter 21

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
**Author's Notes: Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far, keep it up guys! Also, I've completely lost the concept of a timeline in this story, I should go back and reread my chapters, but I'm too damn lazy. So if this chapter seems a little out of place, it probably is! **  
  
Buffy lay in bed staring at her ceiling and thinking. Beside her, Spike lay on his side facing away from her, his body completely motionless. Any normal person would have thought him to be dead, what with the absence of a rising and falling chest and the lack of pigment in his pale skin, but he wasn't dead. He was un-dead to be exact.  
  
Thoughts raced a mile a minute through the Slayer's mind; everything from the two beautiful miracles that were busy trying to punch a whole through the wall of her abdomen, to her dispute with Angel. Though it had been almost three weeks since the night of the party, Buffy had been plagued by a string of continuous questions. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right; but then again, things rarely were in Sunnydale.  
  
A series of soft kicks interrupted her thoughts momentarily.  
  
"Calm it down in there." she demanded of her body in a hushed whisper.  
  
"Luv," Spike asked still motionless, "who are you talking to?"  
  
Buffy smiled, "Your children."  
  
Spike finally turned over, his sapphire eyes connecting with Buffy's own hazel ones. "Oh so now they're my children? No longer ours?"  
  
"Yes, when they cause me pain they remind me of you." Both the vampire and Slayer shared a tiny laugh. Spike absently began tracing circles on the girl's stomach, relishing in the way his babies kicked and punched when he touched them.  
  
"Oh yeah, get them even more riled up." Buffy moaned. "It's not like the pain is a discomfort or anything."  
  
"Sorry Luv." Spike offered a heart felt apology even though he knew the blonde beside him was only teasing.  
  
"Spike?"  
  
"Yeah Luv."  
  
"I've been doing a lot of thinking," she said.  
  
Spike sat upright in bed, his face marred with fright. "Oh God." he said in a hushed voice.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked, becoming scared.  
  
"A Slayer thinking, isn't that like a sign of an impending apocalypse?!" A slick smile graced his lips, but was soon wiped off when a perfectly planted fist landed against his chest. "Hey! What was that for?"  
  
"For your smartass remarks." Buffy said with a smile. She lay back down in bed and grabbed her midsection, crying out in pain.  
  
"What's the matter Luv?" Spike inclined his mind automatically switching to red alert.  
  
"I-I think I just had a contraction." Buffy stammered as the pain subsided. She looked up at Spike; he looked paler than usual, if that was even possible.  
  
"Now?!" Spike shouted. Immediately he was out of the bed and around to the opposite side, helping the Slayer to stand up. "You can't have these babies now!" It was more of a command rather than a request, almost as if Spike thought he could actually control the event.  
  
"Spike," Buffy moaned as she found her footing, "I don't really control these things. It's out of my hands, literally!" She began wailing again when she felt a series of sharp kicks.  
  
Dawn burst into her sister's room wondering desperately what all the screaming was about. She had been having a wonderful dream about Brad Pitt when Spike's loud voice woke her up. "You people do know it's like past midnight, right? What the hell is going on?!" she asked only half awake.  
  
"Your niece and nephew decided that now was a good time to see the world." Spike supplied. He was trying to lead Buffy to the doorway, but she was being unbelievably sluggish.  
  
It took Dawn a few minutes to piece together what Spike was saying. Suddenly her face twisted from excited to worried and back to excited. "Oh my God!" she screamed bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Now? Like right now?! Oh my God!"  
  
"Bit, you're gonna need to calm down." Spike scolded her.  
  
"Why?" Dawn asked becoming increasingly excited with every passing second.  
  
"Because if you don't stop jumping around you're going to make me nervous! Now I'm gonna go call the hospital, tell 'em we're on our way, you help your sister get dressed." Spike felt almost like an army officer, giving orders and such. He left the room and the steps two at a time then dashing to the kitchen phone. 'All hell's about to break loose,' he thought as he picked up the phone and quickly dialed the number.  
  
The lights in the Magic Box still burned; there was still life inside the shop. Most people were home at this time of night, asleep in their warm beds. Most people had nothing more to worry about than children, jobs and pets. Most people led normal lives.  
  
Rupert Giles did not.  
  
He was a Watcher and therefore it was his sacred duty to do whatever he could to protect his Slayer. Tonight that meant spending countless hours researching the latest cult to hit Sunnydale: the Guild of Zaranah.  
  
It was nothing new for Giles to hear news of a new demonic cult hitting the streets of Sunnydale. And to hear that their intention was none other than to bring death to the Slayer was even less surprising. The Watcher's heart swelled when he thought of the petite-well once petite-blonde who had become a daughter to him. Her life had been on the line so many times and yet she had always come through; she was truly the strongest of them all.  
  
Though he didn't know much about said cult, from what he and Spike had witnessed in the cemetery that night long ago, he could deduct that this group of-whatever it was that they were-worshipped the savior of the damned: Zaranah. Things had been oddly quiet in the past few weeks, which should have calmed Giles's nerved, but it only succeeded in making him tenser.  
  
Only mere hours ago had he put together part of the riddle: Two of the two that never should be. Which, when translated, Giles felt was suggesting a connection to the twins. His insides lurched at the thought that these children growing and thriving inside his Slayer were evil, or that they were in any sort of danger.  
  
The shrill sound of the phone ringing reluctantly drug Giles from his previous thoughts. "Who is possibly calling here at this hour?" he wondered aloud. Clutching the cream-colored device in his hand, the Watcher raised it to his ear and listened for a moment.  
  
".I'll be right there Bit." He heard a familiar voice call.  
  
"Spike?" His voice was a mixture of amusement that Spike would resort to calling him for any reason, and a tad on the worried side. If Spike was calling him chances were something was wrong-something concerning Buffy.  
  
"Watcher," Spike snapped to attention, "got a little surprise for you."  
  
Willow never knew she could run so fast. 'Maybe I should have gone out for the track team in high school.' She thought dryly. White, sterile walls rushed passed her as the red head made her way through Sunnydale Memorial Hospital; her girlfriend trailed a few steps behind her.  
  
Seeing a large sign hanging from the ceiling that read Reception Desk, Willow skidded to a halt.  
  
"Maternity ward?" she asked hurriedly.  
  
A younger woman with long black hair pointed her towards to elevators. "Third floor and to the right." she instructed her.  
  
"Thanks." Willow called back as she and Tara dashed for the elevator.  
  
"You know.we don't really have.to rush." Tara managed while trying to catch her breath.  
  
"Buffy's in labor Tara." Willow stated rather matter-of-factly. She was nervously watched the blinking light as it ran up the elevator wall, illuminating a new number with every passing floor.  
  
"She could be in labor for hours, sweetie." Tara pointed out as the cold metal doors slid apart revealing yet another sterile white hallway.  
  
"She could?" Willow asked feeling a little embarrassed. It was true, she didn't really know much about childbirth. Only what she and Tara had watched on the discovery channel one morning at 4:00 a.m. when neither of them could sleep.  
  
"Yes." Tara said and quickly added, "This could even be false labor pains."  
  
"They aren't false." a voice said causing Willow and Tara to jump.  
  
"Dawnie." Willow said giving the youngest Scooby a quick hug.  
  
"How is she?" Tara asked.  
  
"Doctor said everything was fine. Spike asked me to come out here and wait for you guys. She's down in room 344." The girl pointed to her left.  
  
The Wiccas started walking but stopped after a few steps.  
  
"Aren't you coming?" Willow asked, noticing that Dawn hadn't moved with them.  
  
"Gotta wait for Xander and Anya," she informed them. "I'll be in as soon as they get here."  
  
"Ok." Tara said with a genuine smile before sprinting to catch up with her girlfriend who was already to Buffy's door.  
  
Spike sat in the corner of the hospital room massaging his hand. Flexing it, the vampire felt a number of bones snap back into place. "Blood hell Slayer." he cursed as the pain shot through his hand and up his arm. Buffy had grabbed his hand during a particularly strong contraction and nearly smashed every one of his bones. Spike soundlessly thanked the Gods that h healed quickly.  
  
"Big baby." Buffy teased. "I'm the one in real pain here." She was lying in yet another hospital bed. A nurse had brought her a gown to change into and then left, the doctor returning in her place to do a check up. Everything was fine.  
  
Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she needed was a complication in delivery.  
  
"Oh Buffy." A wavering voice called from the doorway. Buffy snapped to attention, seeing Willow and Tara standing there. The red headed witch ran to her bedside and threw her arms around her best friend. "You look so beautiful."  
  
"Oh yeah, because this is the cutest damn thing I own." Buffy pulled at the tacky paper clothing and laughed.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Tara asked.  
  
"Well aside from the horrific contractions and the constant whining from William the Bloody," the Slayer jested, pointing her laughter at Spike, "I'm just dandy!"  
  
Willow was about to add another comment when Buffy's face twisted in pain. "Oh God what's wrong?!" the witch cried, panicking.  
  
"Nothing's the matter." Giles informed them. "It's just another contraction. We'd be helping her through the pain but that's already been proven a bad idea." To signify his point, Giles held up his right hand, which had been shielded from view by the bed; only to reveal a new, plaster white cast.  
  
"Oh wow." Tara gasped.  
  
Buffy calmed her breathing and rejoined the conversation. "Look," she said in an apologetic tone, "I already said I was sorry-twice! And you of all people should know better."  
  
"Very well," Giles admitted in a rather British tone, "Best get this show on the road."  
  
Time had stopped. Neither of those annoying, little, black hands had moved a centimeter. Spike sat in the hospital waiting room, his skin tingling with anticipation, his last nerves buzzing. He couldn't take the waiting. 'I should be in there!' he thought bitterly, cursing the doctor that said he looked pale and feared he might pass out.  
  
A million nurses, doctors, and the like had walked past the rough assembly of people gathered in the blue upholstered seats. Xander sat in a corner seat biting his nails, Anya snug in his lap. Giles and Tara sat a few seats down quietly discussing everyday topics. Dawn was pacing like a madman in front of the lustrous metal doors.  
  
"What's taking so long?" she asked.  
  
"Bit, calm down." Spike ordered. He knew if he watched the girl pace any longer, nausea was bound to set in.  
  
"How can you be so calm?" Dawn asked the vampire, staring him down. "Aren't you even the least bit worried that-" She was cut off before she could finish when the broad doors swing open and Willow came trotting out. She'd been the only one to stay with Buffy through the delivery since Spike wasn't allowed and the Slayer didn't think that Dawn would be able to handle it.  
  
"How is she?" Dawn asked quickly before anyone else could get a word in.  
  
"Everyone's fine." Willow said with an immense smile.  
  
"How are they?" Spike asked and then clarified, "I mean are they all- bumpy."  
  
"I don't know." She told the quickly gathering crowd.  
  
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Spike asked becoming almost angry. His worst fear was that the twins would be weird in some way; half vampire, half Slayer, or some such.  
  
"Well I didn't look."  
  
"Why the hell not?" he demanded.  
  
"Because I decided that you and Buffy should be the first to see the little angels." The witch added, earning a grin from everyone including Spike.  
  
The vampire took a step towards her and cupping her face gently in his hands kissed her cheek lightly. "I knew there was a reason I liked you." He whispered in her ear before disappearing behind her.  
  
The room was bright, almost too bright, but none of that mattered now. As Buffy stared down at the little bundles lying in her arms, her heart melted. Nothing mattered anymore, nothing except them; not Slaying, not the Hellmouth, not another apocalypse. A single tear ran down the Slayer's cheek as she stared at her children and she silently wished that her mother could see them.  
  
"God mom you would love them so much." She said in a whisper.  
  
If it was at all possible the room grew brighter. "Geez what is up with the lighting?" she laughed. In her arm, Audra's mouth opened wide as a tiny yawn racked her system. "Is that not the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Buffy asked no one.  
  
"It really is." A voice answered. Buffy looked up expecting to see Dawn or Willow standing there, but what she saw took her breath away.  
  
Before Buffy stood her mom, Joyce Summers. She looked just as she did before she had died. Her chestnut hair was curled and laying on her shoulders, her face was beautiful not a mark, just the way she remembered it. The only thing that was off was the bright glowing essence that seemed to surround the older woman.  
  
"M-mom?" Buffy stared, unblinking.  
  
"Yes, dear." Joyce answered. She moved across the room with a cat-like grace until she was standing beside her daughter. "Oh Buffy they're gorgeous."  
  
"Where? How?" Buffy couldn't help but stumble through the words.  
  
"I don't know." Joyce admitted. "I was watching and suddenly I'm here." She leaned down and wiped a stray tear from her daughter's face. "Sweetie, I want you to know that I'm always watching over you and Dawn, even Spike. And know I've got these little wonders to watch too."  
  
"I've missed you so much." Buffy blurted feeling fresh tears race down her cheek.  
  
"Me too honey." The older woman added. "I'm sorry I can't stay, but you no longer need me."  
  
"I always need you."  
  
"You've got everything you need right here." With one final glance at her first grandchildren, Joyce Summers began to fade into nothing. "Don't let them out of your sight, Buffy. Cherish them and love them."  
  
"Don't-" she pleaded, but it was no use, her mother was already gone.  
  
"Luv?" Spike called as he walked into the room.  
  
"Spike." She said simply.  
  
As he came closer to her, his eyes finally fell onto the two babies. "Oh my God." Spike gasped. It was the first time since he'd been turned that the vampire had called out to a man that used to govern his entire way of life. Well other than when he and Buffy were-enjoying other activities. Such activities that were responsible for these two. "They're perfect."  
  
"I know." Buffy agreed. She handed her children to their father, immediately missing the feel of them in her arms.  
  
Spike couldn't believe it. These tiny thing, tiny people, were his. They were his doing and his responsibility. His face lit up like a kid at Christmas and a single tear ran down his cheek. "Hi." He said in a gentle voice, "I'm your da." 


	22. Chapter 22

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
** Author's Notes: Sorry this one took so long guys, but life's been hectic. Also this will probably be the last chapter you get until the beginning of June cuz finals start in a week! Sorry guys, you'll just have to be patient. **  
  
It'd been three hours. Three hours since Buffy had brought two of the most beautiful children into the world. Three hours since the most pain she had felt in her life since becoming the Slayer. Three hours and she'd only held her bundles of joy for a little over half an hour.  
  
Once they were allowed to visit, the Scooby Gang hadn't left. Willow and Tara were to first to hold either of the babies, after Buffy and Spike of course. Immediately the two witches had taken a liking to Audra Lynn. The baby cooed and didn't cry once while in Willow's arms.  
  
William on the other hand, cried no matter who was holding him. Even if Buffy, his own mother, was cradling him the baby cried. Only when Spike or Dawn picked him up, was he relatively quiet.  
  
It seemed as though everyone had taken a particular liking to one baby or another. Giles, though he was fond of both, felt a little more inclined to have baby Audra in his care.  
  
Anya had held William first telling him, "Someday you'll make some girl very happy with many orgasms." This frightened Buffy to no end.  
  
"An," Xander addressed his girlfriend, "he's not even a day old yet. He's got the rest of his life to hear about that particular subject. Mainly from you."  
  
"But it's never too soon to start the learning process. Practice makes perfect." The ex-demon stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"Could we please spend just one day without the mention of what you and the Whelp do in private?" Spike asked, annoyed.  
  
Dawn couldn't get enough of her new niece and nephew. Every time Buffy looked over at her younger sister, she had one baby or the other in her arms, talking and cooing at them.  
  
"Buffy she's so perfect." Willow gushed. Audra lay, soundly sleeping in her arms while Tara stood by her girlfriend's side admiring the sleeping infant.  
  
"Will's gonna be a bad ass like his da, aren't you?"  
  
Attempting to stifle a laugh and failing, Buffy marveled at the transformation in the vampire. Sure Spike was part demon, no one would ever let Buffy forget it, but there was a certain kindness, tenderness to his demeanor. She'd been surprised just how gentle and natural he was with the babies. 'His babies,' Buffy mentally corrected herself, 'His.'  
  
It seemed so normal to see all these people in a hospital room, gushing over the new addition to the family. No one would ever know that these beautiful, joyous gifts were half demon. Or were they? Giles still had no answer to that question.  
  
Turning her head slightly, Buffy stared out the window at the early morning sky. "Spike," she spoke.  
  
"Yeah luv?" the bleached head looked up from his son.  
  
"Shouldn't you get going?" At the vampire's questioning look she continued, "Well the sun'll be up pretty soon, and if I remember correctly, vampires and sun are like-unmixy things."  
  
"Oh," Giles admonished. He too looked out the tiny window at the ever- lightening sky. "I suppose it would be best for Spike to get back to the house."  
  
"What makes you think for one second that I'll leave?" Spike asked, gently laying William into his mother's arms.  
  
"Because if you don't I'll have to get unspeakably violent." Buffy countered. "And you wouldn't want the children corrupted just yet, would you?"  
  
Spike pondered the options for a minute, but a soft rapping at the door interrupted his thoughts. A small man, mid 30s, wearing hospital scrubs, entered the room.  
  
"Ms. Summers?" he approached the bed where Buffy lay.  
  
"Yes." She answered warily.  
  
"I'm nurse McKenzie." He introduced himself with a quick shake of hands. "The nursery needs to do the preliminary check on the twins here," he explained.  
  
"Meaning?" Spike asked, jumping into the conversation. Even the slightest mention of his babies brought up the defensive side of the vampire.  
  
"Calm down, sweetie." Buffy soothed her lover.  
  
"It just means that we need to record height, weight," nurse McKenzie explained, "also we do a short exam just to make sure that everything is A- ok."  
  
She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about this guy unnerved Buffy. He looked normal enough, medium build with light brown hair. But there was just something about his up beat, smirking attitude that chilled the Slayer.  
  
"How long will it take?" she asked.  
  
"No more than an hour." The nurse added, "An hour that can be spent giving the new mother a well deserved nap."  
  
Sighing, Buffy finally realized just how tired she was. Every muscle in her body ached with fatigue. Her eyelids had suddenly grown very heavy, and she struggled to keep them open. Unwillingly, the Slayer handed her son to the nurse, then looked to Willow who still held Audra in the corner of the room. With uncertainty on her features, the red-haired witch rose from her seat and brought the baby over to her mother.  
  
Nurse McKenzie took the second infant and turned to leave. Before exiting the room he turned and called out, "Get some sleep. You'll be appreciating it later." With those final words and a wide, toothy grin, he was gone.  
  
Brother Gerard stood in the center of the abandoned warehouse admiring the work of his brothers. The Alter had been erected beside one of the many columns that ran from floor to ceiling. An array of symbols had been hand painted on the concrete walls and the text needed for the ceremony was lying, open on the edge of the Alter.  
  
"Soon," Brother Gerard spoke in a whisper, "I can feel the planets aligning and the spirits grow restless." Indeed the powerful sorcerer could feel the cosmic energy surrounding his entire being. "Soon Zaranah will rise and all souls will be condemned to this plain for all eternity."  
  
The Guild of Zaranah was Brother Gerard's life. Unlike some of his bothers that had jobs and lives outside of their worship, Gerard had devoted his entire existence to the cult. He lived, breathed, and slept for the sake of his master, Zaranah. He believed that only by these actions would his place among the rulers of Earth be secured.  
  
"Brother Gerard," a small, plump man called to the other. He was slightly balding and wore a black, hooded cloak, like Gerard's own.  
  
"Ah, Brother Pedro," Gerard said in hopeful tones, "I trust your presence here is an indication of our success."  
  
"Indeed it is, Señor." Brother Pedro bowed his head, recognizing his superior.  
  
"Good," Gerard smiled wickedly, "all is going according to plan. Soon Zaranah will rise and the Slayer and all who keep company with her will be crushed under our great God's mighty fist. But the best part, the ones who will be her undoing are none other than the offspring she so vigilantly cares for."  
  
Buffy awoke with a start; something wasn't right, she could feel it in her soul. Nervously she began scanning the room, half expecting to see a demon of one make or another lurking in the shadows. But there was none. What caught her eye instead was the window.  
  
Pale blue curtains were drawn across the blinds to keep out light, yet a few stray rays of light peeked through. Their bright, joyful presence did little to soothe the Slayer's tightly wound mood. Pulling the curtains aside, Buffy was blasted with the brilliant light of the mid-day California sun.  
  
'It's gotta be nearly noon.' She thought unhappily searching for a clock. Finally finding a small digital clock sitting atop the nightstand, it's numbers reading 10:52, all the pieces finally clicked together for Buffy.  
  
"It's been 5 hours!" she exclaimed. "My babies should be back by now." Rushing to her beside, Buffy searched for the nurse call button and pressed it over and over again.  
  
"Ms. Summers?" a small, frail looking woman came into her room. "Is there something I can help you with?"  
  
"Where are my children?" Buffy demanded. Hysteria was beginning to consume her senses and all she could imagine were terrible things. "Nurse McKenzie took them to the nursery for tests five hours ago! Where are they?"  
  
The woman looked puzzled. "I'm sorry, did you say Nurse McKenzie?"  
  
"Yes," Buffy answered quickly, "short guy, brown hair, annoyingly happy?"  
  
"I'm sorry ma'am but there's no one that works at this hospital by that name."  
  
Buffy felt herself become sick. 'Oh God.' She thought, clutching her stomach and leaning into her hospital bed, 'oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God. They're gone.' Everything seemed to go black as Buffy came to that realization. 'They're gone.' 


	23. Chapter 23

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
"No, no, no, no, NO!" Dawn screamed. Her once sleeping body was racked with a feeling of dread and hopelessness and her skin plagued with goose bumps. Throwing her arms frantically, the youngest member of the Scooby Gang was jostled from her bed and landed on the floor with a resounding thud.  
  
Willow was at her bedroom door in seconds. "Dawn? Dawnie what's the matter?"  
  
But she couldn't answer her friend's question; all Dawn could do was shake and scream. "God no! Please no! Oh God!" Pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly, she began to rock. "Please God, don't let it happen. Stop them, stop them!"  
  
Willow rushed to her side, scooping the girl in her arms and pulling her tightly against her own body. "Dawnie what's the matter? Don't let what happen? Please Dawn, you're scaring me."  
  
"What's the matter?" Giles asked. He, Tara, and Spike had all appeared in the doorway seconds before, just in time to watch Dawn's hysterical behavior.  
  
"I don't know, I heard a sound and she was in here screaming," Willow explained.  
  
"I can see them. Please don't hurt them." Dawn cried.  
  
Spike kneeled in front of the shaking girl and braced his hands on her shoulders. "Who can you see, Bit?" He'd never seen the girl act like this and it was beginning to worry him.  
  
"The twins," Dawn blurted, "They're gone. They took them!"  
  
Silence fell on the room as every mind struggled to grasp what was said. Someone had taken the twins? Kidnapped them? How could this have happened?  
  
"W-what?" Tara stuttered.  
  
"Shit," Spike breathed, jumping to his feet he dashed out of the room and down the steps taking them two at a time. He hit the bottom and grabbing his blanket that lay on the banister, was out the door.  
  
"What should we do?" Willow asked, her voice was shaky and tears threatened to spill out down her cheeks.  
  
"You two stay here and take care of Dawn," Giles instructed, "I'm heading to the hospital with Spike." Without another word he was out of the room. The sound of the front door slamming quickly followed.  
  
"What do we do?" Tara asked. She kneeled on the other side of Dawn's body and looked to Willow.  
  
"Help me get her onto the bed." Together the two witched hoisted to girl onto the bed and laid her head gently on the pillows.  
  
"Willow?" Dawn breathed. She blinked her eyes several times before her vision focused on the red head in front of her. It was like she had been pulled out of a trance. Everything came rushing into her field of vision at once.  
  
"Dawnie are you okay?" Tara asked.  
  
"I can see it all. The twins.someone took them." Tears were streaming down the younger girl's face and onto her shirt.  
  
"How can you see it?"  
  
"I don't know. I've been having these visions. I can see things before they happen." Dawn sat upright in the bed and dropped her head into her hands. "I saw Buffy in the alley, just before we all found out that she was pregnant. I saw the cult people doing some kind of ritual. I saw the twins being taken somewhere by these guys. I don't know where, but they were crying and there were lots of them. All in black cloaks." Fresh tears began to seep through her fingers.  
  
"We've got to d-do something." Tara whispered to her girlfriend.  
  
"Let's get to the Magic Box. We can do a locator spell," Willow suggested.  
  
"What about Giles and Spike? Shouldn't we let them know?"  
  
Willow stood from the bed and helped the crying Dawn to her feet. "We'll contact them once we get there. Let's go."  
  
It was a good thing that Spike didn't have to breathe, because he had run down the street to the nearest sewer entrance and kept running until he was back at University Hospital. The mechanical doors slid out of the way just in time as the bleached blonde came barreling through the front doors and took an immediate left. Up three flights of steps and down a long corridor he ran without ever stopping for a breath. Nurses and doctors alike jumped out of his way shouting at the vampire's retreating form.  
  
By the time that he got to Buffy's room, she was already dressed. She stopped dead in her tracks when he burst through the door. "Spike," she cried and the tears rolled down her cheeks.  
  
He ran to her, getting there just as her legs gave out and the Slayer crumpled to the floor. "It's all right luv," Spike pulled her body tightly against his own and stroked her blonde locks gently. Both vampire and slayer sank to the floor in a heap.  
  
"They're.gone," she managed to sputter between sobs.  
  
"I know," Spike said.  
  
Buffy pulled away and looked up at him. "H-how do you know?"  
  
"Niblet, she could-" Spike searched for the right word, "I guess she can see things." Pushing himself to his feet, Spike lifted Buffy to hers and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Come on," he pulled her towards the door.  
  
"We need to go back to the house and get weapons." They were almost to the door when Giles burst through carrying a large black bag.  
  
"I've got weapons," he announced. "Tara, Willow and Dawn are headed to the Magic Box to do a locator spell. We should regroup there before heading out."  
  
"Agreed," Spike mumbled pushing passed the Watcher and storming the hallway.  
  
"Buffy are you all right?" Giles asked as the girl followed Spike.  
  
"I'll be better when I've got them back in my arms," she said simply and left her hospital room, Giles in tow. None of the staff even realized they had vacated.  
  
Willow and Tara were in the back room setting up for the locator spell while Anya and Xander stayed with Dawn in the shop. The poor girl had been so shaken by her vision that she'd done nothing but stare into space and cry.  
  
"Are we ready?" Tara asked as she sprinkled the last bit of sand on the training room floor.  
  
Willow looked around nervously. Normally doing a locator spell would seem like child's play to the highly advanced Wicca, but with everything that was happening, she was much more skeptical. "I think so," she went over the checklist in her mind one last time and, satisfied that everything had been taken care of, took a seat in the inner circle. Tara took a seat across from her. They two witched linked hands and began the spell.  
  
"Blood of blood, heart of heart," Tara whispered over and over again.  
  
"Taken without consent, lost amongst the crowd," Willow chanted while sprinkling a mixture of ingredients over a map of Sunnydale that was spread between the two. "Reveal to us the hiding place, reveal to us to resting place."  
  
"Blood of blood, heart of heart," Tara echoed a little louder than before.  
  
"Reveal!" Suddenly a bright, green light appeared in the center of the room, hovering inches above the girls. Their hands tightened together as a strong wind swept through the room causing the few candles that the spell required to blow out. But as suddenly as it had all started, the wind and light were gone, leaving only darkness to fill the room.  
  
"Did it work?" Tara asked, her voice just above a whisper.  
  
Willow dropped her girlfriend's hands and stared down at the map. It had been blown out of place by the wind, and by turning it right side up again she revealed a small patch of light surrounding a tiny portion of the map.  
  
"It worked," she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Grabbing the map she rose to her feet and bolted for the door, Tara only steps behind her.  
  
"Dawn listen to me," Buffy kneeled in front of her younger sister and took the girl's head in her hands, "this is not your fault."  
  
"Yes it is," Dawn argued, "It's all my fault if I would have just told someone-"  
  
"You couldn't have known, Bit." Spike sat next to the crying girl on the couch and draped an arm around her shoulders. Before either Buffy or Spike could get another word in, Tara and Willow came in from the backroom, the latter carrying a large piece of paper.  
  
"Did you find them?" Buffy asked shooting to her feet. She followed Willow to the table and watched as the witch spread the paper out revealing a black and white map of Sunnydale. "What do we got, Will?"  
  
"See this light? This is what the spell did; it found the twins using their auras. Good for us that these two have very strong spirits." She shared a momentary smile with Buffy before turning back to the task at hand. "They're hauled up in this warehouse here," she pointed to the rectangular outline around the glowing light. "It's surrounded by other warehouses, most of which are empty just sitting there. I figured we could go in at all sides."  
  
"That'll work," Buffy said offhandedly staring at the paper. "Spike will come in from the north; Xander, you and Giles come from the south; Willow and Tara, the west end and I'll come from the east. We'll block off all exits and surround them."  
  
"What about me?" a small voice asked. Everyone turned to find Dawn sitting on the couch, eyes swollen red from crying.  
  
"You're staying here with Anya," Buffy told her.  
  
"I want to come, I wanna help."  
  
"Dawn," Buffy sighed but when she looked at her little sister all thoughts of argument fled her mind. The woman sitting in front of her wasn't the little sister she'd thought of as a pain; she had grown up. Her face read of nothing but determination and strength. Dawn wasn't taking no for an answer. "Fine," Buffy nodded, "You can come with me, and Anya," she nodded to the former demon, "you go with Spike."  
  
Without another word, the Slayer got up from her seat around the table and walked to the backroom door. "We'll go at sundown, be ready." Then she disappeared into the darkness of the room.  
  
Spike decided to give Buffy a little time alone to sort out her thoughts before he barged in on her. They had another hour till sunset, so he figured now was the best time to talk to her.  
  
Poking his head inside the room Spike noticed nothing out of the ordinary. The vaulting horse sat in one corner, the couch opposite it, and the punching bag hung motionless from the ceiling.  
  
'Where is she?' he wondered. Taking a few steps into the room, Spike looked for the familiar face of the woman he loved, finally finding her standing by the window. Careful to avoid the sunlight that poured through the opened blinds, Spike crept up behind Buffy and slid his arms around her waist.  
  
"Spike," she sighed, leaning back into his embrace.  
  
"Shhh," he whispered, "I'm here, luv."  
  
"Spike I'm so scared," Buffy admitted. She never looked back at the creature holding her, just continued to stare out the window.  
  
"Of what?" Spike asked, though he already knew the answer.  
  
"Me," she answered.  
  
"What?" Spike asked astonished. "How can you be afraid of yourself?"  
  
"I'm not. I'm afraid of what I'm doing to the kids." Turning around, Buffy noticed the utter confusion marring Spike's face. She continued, "I'm afraid of what they'll turn out to be. And I don't just mean part vampire. Spike," she began walking towards the couch, "they'll never be normal. These kids.our kids, they'll never have a normal life."  
  
"Not quite sure I follow you, luv." Spike took a seat on the couch and motioned for her to join him.  
  
"It'll be a life filled with demons and death and apocalypse and.it'll be the life I hate." She stopped and took a breath trying to fend off the tears that clouded her vision. "I've always hated being the Slayer; always wished for a life other than this one. I didn't care what kind of life, just as long as it wasn't this one. And now.now I've dumped the same life on my children." As hard as she tried to fight them, the tears welling in her eyes were too much for even Buffy to contain. As they spilled down her cheeks, Spike wiped them away.  
  
"Buffy, you are the most amazing person I've ever met." He desperately searched his mind for the words to put to his feelings. "If you weren't the Slayer, I don't even care to think about what would have happened. I would never have found you, never fallen in love with you, and we would never have the two beautiful miracles that we have. Luv," he grasped her hands in his own, "I love you with everything that is me, and I promise you that we will get them back."  
  
A small smile spread across Buffy's lips. Moving her hands to the sides of Spike's head, she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. Their lips met in a fury of emotions, both having so much to say to the other but not having the time. When the two blondes finally pulled apart, both were gasping for breath, one out of survival need, the other out of habit.  
  
"You promise?" Buffy asked, her voice no louder than a whisper.  
  
"Promise." 


	24. Chapter 24

Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)  
  
As soon as the sun set over southern California the Scooby Gang was on the move. The sign in the Magic Box window now read Closed and every light was turned off. Weapons in hand and game faces on, Giles, Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, Spike, Dawn, and Buffy took to the streets.  
  
The warehouses were merely four blocks to the west of the magic shop. It wasn't long before the towering buildings rose before them.  
  
"Alright," Buffy paused and addressed the group, "Everyone stays together. Get in and get out, don't be trying anything stupid. Ready?" Everyone nodded. "Let's do this."  
  
Brother Gerard had been waiting for this moment his entire life. Soon his leader would walk to Earth and he would be at his right hand side. He watched as the lower brothers brought forth the candles and set them near the Alter. Finally the time had come. As Gerard watched his fellow leaders, Brother Thomas and Brother Angelo followed the younger members, each carrying a tiny bundle in his arms.  
  
"The children," Brother Gerard whispered. He could sense the power that the two infants held despite their tender age. The creatures had yet to live a full day, but already their time had come. "Bring them to me."  
  
Heeding his order, Brother Angelo and Brother Thomas brought the crying children forward and laid them into separate baskets. Both bowed before stepping on and off of the Alter as a sign of respect.  
  
Gerard dipped his hand into a vat of oils and proceeded to draw similar markings on each of the child's foreheads. These were the signs of Zaranah, and would ensure that when the dark Lord arose he would know the sacrifice. Grabbing a fairly large, ancient looking volume, Gerard began to recite the sacred passages to Zaranah's summoning.  
  
But before he could finish the first word, windows shattered and doors busted open. The Slayer and her band of friends were in the building.  
  
"Slayer," Gerard hissed.  
  
"And-you," Buffy's eyes scanned the room. There must have been thirty or more figures, each clothed in long, dark robes with hoods covering most of their faces. A small platform had been erected in the center of the warehouse, surrounded with candles and torches. In the middle of the platform, on either side of the creepy robed guy, were two baskets.  
  
"I must admit, Slayer, I didn't think it would take this long for you to come," he taunted her. Gerard knew that this would anger the Slayer.  
  
"What can I say?" Buffy asked offhandedly. "I needed to take a quick nap."  
  
Before another word was spoken the fight broke out.  
  
Giles, Xander, and Dawn were keeping busy with a group of cloaked occultists. They seemed to be holding their own as well as taking most of them down. Both men made an effort to keep one eye on Dawn and make sure she wasn't being slaughtered.  
  
Spike and Anya were doing well fighting off their opponents, though it was mostly Spike doing the fighting. Anya stood a few feet back yelling helpful comments to the vampire and occasionally swinging a battle-ax at anyone who came near her.  
  
Willow and Tara had decided that a protection spell on the twins would be the best use of their abilities. They stood just out of the fight, chanting something; the words were lost in the sound of the battle.  
  
Buffy made a straight line for the babies, knocking out people left and right. She was at the Alter in seconds flat, crossbow in hand.  
  
"I've been waiting for this," Brother Gerard smiled wickedly.  
  
"You've been waiting for me to kick your ass?" Buffy asked. "Okay, have it your way." She leapt into the air and landed a swift kick to Gerard's chest, sending the man stumbling backwards. Landing in a defensive stance, Buffy attacked again landing punches to his face and stomach.  
  
Gerard stumbled backwards, clutching his abdomen. "You are a formidable opponent, Slayer, but you are no match for Zaranah. For he will come to this plain, ridding it of every form a humanity."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard this all before." Buffy whined. "Why don't you guys think up some new ploy? This is really getting old." She moved to attack again when Spike was suddenly at her side. Buffy risked a glance towards the vampire. He smiled in return.  
  
"He is the other," Brother Gerard shouted, "He is the other."  
  
"What the bloody hell are you yappin about?" Spike shot, glaring at the man. His monstrous features had faded, bringing his human mask to the forefront.  
  
"The two of you," he pointed to Buffy and Spike, "complete the prophecy. Everything is in line." Abruptly, the ground began to shake, racked with tremors from an unknown source. Pillars topped with candles wobbled, spilling to the ground. Windows shattered, glass spraying everywhere.  
  
Buffy reached for Spike who grasped her hand tightly, steadying themselves against the quaking ground. Looking around, Buffy noticed that everyone seemed to be all right. Willow and Tara were still working their spell; Anya had joined Xander; and Giles was holding Dawn, keeping her from falling.  
  
"It is time!" Brother Gerard shouted, tossing his hands into the air. The other cloaked figures echoed his cry with great triumph. "Zaranah will rise!"  
  
A great burst of fire erupted from the ground, splitting the cement and melting it. An otherworldly scream sounded from within the flame and a horrifying face came into view. Blue, scaly skin surrounded two, huge, colorless eyes, a long, pointed nose and a large mouth. Hoofed claws struck at something unseen and a bulky, spiked tail swiped at invisible opponents.  
  
"Oh man," Buffy breathed, her gaze never leaving the flame; she was mesmerized.  
  
"This should be fun," Spike hissed sarcastically. Instinctively both he and Buffy dropped back into battle stances, ready to face whatever this demon dished out.  
  
"Buffy!" Giles bellowed from the sidelines.  
  
"A little busy here Watcher," Spike chided.  
  
Giles ignored Spike's comment, "Buffy, destroy the book! It holds his power!"  
  
Without having time to fully digest the information, she moved. Spike leapt at Brother Gerard, knocking him to the ground and out of the way. Buffy dodged candles and small fires, finally getting close enough to lay her hands on the musty, old volume. Without a second thought she heaved the book into the wall of flame that housed the creature. A loud cry rose from the fire's depths, the sound of someone, or something, dying. The ground shook violently, dropping a large candle onto the wooden Alter. It ignited immediately.  
  
"Spike, grab her!" Buffy ordered pointing to the basket closest to him. She rushed over to the other and gently pulled her son free of the blankets inside. Making sure that Spike and Audra were with them, Buffy and her entire family fled from the burning building.  
  
"You have ruined everything!" Brother Gerard called out to them.  
  
Buffy paused in the doorway. "Sorry," she smirked before turning and leaving for good.  
  
Once outside Buffy and Spike were met with a plethora of questions and hugs.  
  
"Are you guys okay? Are the babies okay?" Dawn asked hurriedly.  
  
"We're fine," Spike responded.  
  
"I think they're okay too," Buffy added nodding to the crying infant in her arms. Dawn quickly took William out of her arms and began bouncing and talking to him.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right, Buffy?" Giles asked. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Without a word the Slayer threw her arms around him in a tight embrace.  
  
"Thank you so much," she whispered.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For being there," Buffy unlocked her arms and took a step back, "You've been like a father to me, and I have no idea what I would have done without you here. Thank you so much for never giving up, for always believing in me. It's what kept me alive all these years."  
  
Giles blinked rapidly, several times to keep the tears from flowing. This girl, a person whom he was supposed to train and tutor had developed into such a strong, determined woman. She'd been like a daughter to him, and now he had something he'd always wanted: grandchildren.  
  
"You're quite welcome, Elizabeth." He smiled warmly at her. "Now, shall we head home?"  
  
"Amen to that!" Xander cheered.  
  
"Home, sleep." Willow added.  
  
"Yes," Buffy sighed, "home sounds very good right about now." 


	25. Epilogue

~Epilogue~  
  
"Catch me!" William cried.  
  
"Get back here you little sneak!" Dawn yelled. She chased the wobbling three year old down the hall and halfway down the steps. Will let out a shrill scream when his aunt caught him.  
  
"Dawn, what are you doing to him?" Buffy laughed.  
  
"I'm just gonna tickle him to death!" Dawn giggled. She'd only been home for ten minutes before she'd been suckered into a game of 'hide and go seek'.  
  
The Slayer stood in the doorway between the kitchen and living room watching her son and her sister. It still amazed her that Dawn was in college; she was almost nineteen. It seemed like just yesterday she was getting thrown into detention for missing school. Boy how things changed.  
  
"Mommy," a sleepy voice called. Buffy spun to find Audra standing in the hallway rubbing her eyes sleepily.  
  
"Hi honey," Buffy purred, "Did you have a nice nap?" Audra nodded climbing into her mother's waiting arms. "Where's you father?"  
  
"Sleeping," Audra said pointing to the basement.  
  
"Oh I see," Buffy smiled, "guess who's here? Aunt Dawnie."  
  
"Really?" the little girl asked excitedly.  
  
"She's in the living room playing with your brother, why don't you go tell them that dinner is almost ready."  
  
"Ok." Audra slipped from Buffy's grasp and dashed into the living room.  
  
Buffy turned back to her cooking when she noticed a certain peroxide blonde standing in the basement doorway. "Morning sleepy head."  
  
"Mornin luv," Spike yawned wrapping his arms around her waist. "Did I miss dinner?"  
  
"Nope it's almost ready," she motioned to the stove, "why don't you get Dawn and the kids in here."  
  
"Bit's here?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yeah, she doesn't have classes until Tuesday."  
  
Before Spike could respond there was a loud knock at the front door. "I'll get it!" Dawn yelled from the living room. Seconds later she appeared in the kitchen carrying a small box wrapped in brown paper.  
  
"What's that?" Spike asked.  
  
"I don't know," Dawn answered, "I answered the door but there was no one there. The tag says it's for you." She pushed the box towards Spike.  
  
Looking a little confused, Spike picked up the box and weighed it with his hands. Deciding it posed not threat he tore the paper open and lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a letter, it read:  
  
Spike, Don't say I never gave you anything. Peaches.  
  
"What is it?" Buffy asked peering over his shoulder.  
  
Spike picked the ring out of the box with a grin and slipped it onto his finger.  
  
"Is that-?"  
  
"Yeah," Spike smirked, "the Gem of Amara."  
  
~THE END~  
  
Okay.I know that Angel destroyed the ring, but hey it's my world and I'll do what I want, lol. 


End file.
